More than 50,000 people will be screened in about 500 locations in and around Coimbatore, on March 10, to mark World Kidney Day observance, said G. Bakthavathsalam, chairman of KG Hospital.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, he said that the hospital had partnered with International Society of Nephrology and Indian Society of Nephrology to conduct the camps for early detection of kidney diseases and diabetes.
Consultant nephrologist Dr. Ilangovan said that diabetes accounted for 50 per cent and hypertension for an additional 25 per cent of the cause of kidney diseases in Coimbatore. Kidney diseases affected men more than women due to the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and smoking habits.
He also said that one in every 1,000 children was born with inherited kidney diseases. Only 10 per cent patients were diagnosed for kidney disease in time. “The rest came for treatment at the last stage when kidney damage is irreparable.” Stressing on the need for early diagnosis, he said there were affordable tests to detect Albumin in urine, but it was yet to gain popularity among patients and doctors as well, he added.
Dr. Ilangovan said that every year around 1,000 patients registered for kidney for transplantation and this was only 10 per cent of those in need. “Only 75 of these deserving patients got kidneys. Others were either unable to afford the high cost or died waiting due to unavailability of donors,” he said.
Pointing out that only 30 per cent recipients have a related donor, he expressed the need for creating awareness among relatives of brain dead patients and persons to donate cadaver to increase kidney donations and save lives.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, he said that the hospital had partnered with International Society of Nephrology and Indian Society of Nephrology to conduct the camps for early detection of kidney diseases and diabetes.
Consultant nephrologist Dr. Ilangovan said that diabetes accounted for 50 per cent and hypertension for an additional 25 per cent of the cause of kidney diseases in Coimbatore. Kidney diseases affected men more than women due to the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and smoking habits.
He also said that one in every 1,000 children was born with inherited kidney diseases. Only 10 per cent patients were diagnosed for kidney disease in time. “The rest came for treatment at the last stage when kidney damage is irreparable.” Stressing on the need for early diagnosis, he said there were affordable tests to detect Albumin in urine, but it was yet to gain popularity among patients and doctors as well, he added.
Dr. Ilangovan said that every year around 1,000 patients registered for kidney for transplantation and this was only 10 per cent of those in need. “Only 75 of these deserving patients got kidneys. Others were either unable to afford the high cost or died waiting due to unavailability of donors,” he said.
Pointing out that only 30 per cent recipients have a related donor, he expressed the need for creating awareness among relatives of brain dead patients and persons to donate cadaver to increase kidney donations and save lives.