\\\'Nearly 40,000 kidney patients die every year\\\'

Nearly 40,000 kidney patients in the country die every year as treatment cost of the non-communicable disease is still high, reports BSS.
There are 18 million kidney patients in the country and the number of the patients is alarmingly increasing due to lack of awareness and inadequate health knowledge, leading health experts told the opening ceremony of Major Salek Bir Uttam Dialysis Ward at Kidney Foundation Bangladesh in the city Thursday.
Former Adviser to the caretaker government major general (retd) Prof ASM Matiur Rahman, founder president of Kidney Foundation Bangladesh Prof Dr Harun-Ur-Rashid, Dr Jafarullah Chowdhury of Gonoshasthaya Kendra and head of department of Nephrology of National Institute of Kidney Disease and Urology Prof M Muhibur Rahman, among others, addressed the function.
Dr Harun said in Bangladesh, 30,000 to 40,000 kidney patients die every year because most patients suffering from the disease are not getting treatment facilities due to high treatment costs.
"We can save lives of kidney patients, if they are given dialysis treatment or kidney transplantation," he said adding both dialysis and kidney transplantation are too expensive.
Both government and private initiatives are needed to expand kidney treatment with affordable cost, which eventually can save thousands of lives of kidney patients, Dr Harun added.
"From 2004 to 2008, we have screened more than 3000 people for detection of kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension and proteinuria among urban, rural and disadvantaged population," he said.
Dr Harun said result of the study showed that 16 to 18 per cent people suffer from chronic kidney disease while around five per cent from diabetes, 18 to 19 per cent from hypertension and seven pe rcent are suffering from proteinuria.
Other heath experts said the government should give special attention to expansion of kidney treatment facilities with a low cost so that poor people can afford the treatments.
The country has inadequate number of machines for kidney dialysis, they said adding the government, private organisations and affluent section of people can provide dialysis machines to make kidney treatment available for both rich and poor people.
They also advised the people to check up diabetes and blood pressure to avoid the kidney ailments.
Kidney Foundation was formed in July, 2002 and launched its activities in 2003. The Kidney Foundation performed 1,24,768 dialysis of kidney patients at reduced cost in the last 10 years, the foundation sources said.