Some 500 new cases of kidney diseases are reported each year at Hamad Medical Corporation, according to an expert. Under the slogan, Donate Kidneys for Life, Receive, World Kidney Day was celebrated at HMC on Thursday. “Through the World Kidney Day events, we aim to raise awareness about prevention of kidney diseases and also on importance of donation,” said Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, Managing Director, HMC. “We have significant number of patients waiting for transplantation, here. We would like to send a message that it is important to donate to relatives. Families can save their relatives by donating in a very safe way. Kidney donation is a very safe procedure these days, one can save relatives from hours of hospital treatment and actually give them a life by donating,” she said. However, HMC experts stress on the prevention of kidney disease, which is more important than treatment. “The nephrology clinic at Hamad out-patient department receives 7,000 visits each year, while renal transplant section receives 2,500 visits annually. Along with this, we have 120 patients who are ready and fit for immediate transplants,” said Dr Awad Rased, Head of Nephrology and Dialysis Centre, HMC. “Added to all these, each year, some 500 new chronic kidney disease (CKD) cases are referred to the nephrology clinic,” he said. CKD is a progressive loss in renal function over a period of months or years; the disease slowly gets worse over time. In the early stages, there may be no symptoms. It may be so slow that symptoms do not appear until kidney function is less than one-tenth of normal. The most common, but not only, causes of CKD are hypertension and diabetes. “Hence, doctors are advised to be careful in management of diabetic and hypertensive patients. Early detection of the disease is very important. Patients should also make regular check up of kidney function, stick to medication, proper diet and regular exercise, which can protect against disease later,” he said. The final stage of chronic kidney disease is called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). At this stage, the kidneys are no longer able to remove enough wastes and excess fluids from the body. The patient needs dialysis or a kidney transplant. “CKD is a very expensive disease, the drugs are expensive and so is dialysis and transplant. It is a good investment to protect against kidney disease; if it is done, budget and expenses on kidney disease patients can be reduced. Doctors be careful in management of these diseases,” Dr Rased said. Reports show that the cumulative global cost for dialysis and transplantation over the next decade is predicted to exceed $ 1 trillion. This economic burden could strain healthcare budgets in developed countries. For lower income countries it is impossible to meet such costs. The Peninsula

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