Renowned Nephrologist cautions people on World Kidney Day

Bangalore, Mar 9 (UNI) There is an alarming rise in the number of people falling victim to the killer renal disease in the country every year and creating awareness among the people and detecting at an early stage any form of kidney impairment are the only ways to prevent it from assuming endemic proportions, renowned Nephrologist Dr Sudarshan Ballal said today.

Speaking at a function organised at the Manipal Hospital to mark the World Kidney Day, he said that taking into consideration the prohibitive cost in treating the disease, the only solution in hand was to create awareness about the disease among all sections of the society and detect it at the early stages. When detected at an advanced stage very little or nothing could be done, except for dialysis or transplantation, he added.

Dr Ballal, Director, Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology, said early detection of kidney impairment could be accomplished through systematic testing of serum creatinine or urine albumin that testified its functional status. It would help in preventing and managing cardiac problems, he added.

Describing kidney and cardiovascular problems as a 'fatal combination,' Dr Ballal said that both the dieases could be contained or managed through diets, change in lifestyle, meditation and medications, if detected at an early stage.

He said the country need to spend over Rs 50,000 crore to One lakh crore to treat kidney patients, a sum which even developed countries could not afford.

Stating that over two lakh people fall a victim to the disease in the country every year, Dr Ballal stressed the urgent need for creating awareness about the killer disease at all levels. The Manipal hospital would reserve two days a month for creating awareness about the disease and conducting free tests for the public, he informed.

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