The World Kidney Day is organised all over the world to spread awareness on kidney diseases. This year the theme is "Kidneys for Life - Stop Acute Kidney Injury." Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) Pakistan organised the event on Thursday at SIUT Karachi, and Kathore as part of world-wide celebrations.
Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi also graced the occasion and appreciated the efforts of SIUT in reaching out for awareness. Edhi stressed upon the importance of regular medical checkup of disease and preventive measures. Edhi added that he himself is a regular visitor to SIUT for medical consultation.
On this occasion, Professor Adib Rizvi, Director SIUT said every year approximately 50,000 people in Pakistan die due to organ failure, out of which 20,000 due to renal failure, 15,000 due to liver failure, 8,000 from heart failure, and the rest due to failure of lungs and pancreas.
Pakistan has an existing law for deceased organ donation and if we start cadaver organ donation in our country, we can save majority of patients suffering from the organ failure. Dr Rizvi said every year there is an alarming increase in the incidence of renal failure. About 250-300 million people world-wide suffer from this disease. There is a 40 per cent increase in the incidence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension which are one of the leading causes of chronic renal failure. There is an urgent need for early detection through blood and urine tests, and kidneys ultrasound.
The diabetes specialists of SIUT said every year 366 million people suffer from diabetes world over and by year 2030 this number will increase to 552 million of which 80 per cent of the patients live in middle and lower income group. Pakistan will be the 10th largest country of the world having diabetic patients. It is necessary to control diabetes at an early stage to prevent chronic renal failure.
The nephrologists of SIUT highlighted the main causes of acute kidney failure which are vomiting, diarrhea, malaria, infection, pregnancy complications, burns, accidents, adverse effects of medicines, glomerulonephritis and urinary tract obstruction etc.-PR