Aug 2006๐ Backgroundtap to expand
Indian CKD Registry launched
The CKD Registry of India begins multi-centre data collection that becomes the first national picture of the disease pattern.
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India's silent epidemic: 17% of Indians have chronic kidney disease and most don't know
Chronic kidney disease affects an estimated 220 million Indians. 90 percent don't know they have it. By the time symptoms appear, 60 to 80 percent of kidney function is gone. Dialysis costs.
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India's CKD epidemic at a glance
Chronic kidney disease is India's quietest big disease. Multi-centre Indian CKD Registry data and the SEEK-India study estimate that 16 to 17 percent of Indian adults have some stage of chronic kidney disease, which translates to roughly 22 crore people. Most never know until they reach stage 4 or 5, when more than 60 percent of kidney function is already lost and dialysis or transplantation is the only option left. Diabetes and hypertension cause the majority of cases, but India also has unique pockets of CKDu, chronic kidney disease of unknown origin, in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and parts of Karnataka, often striking young farm workers. Dialysis in private centres costs 1,500 to 4,000 rupees a session, three times a week, and a kidney transplant runs 8 to 15 lakh rupees. The Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme helps, but supply is far short of need.
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Why so many Indian kidneys fail silently
India's CKD numbers rise from a stack of causes. Diabetes is the biggest, since 30 to 40 percent of long-standing diabetics develop diabetic nephropathy. Hypertension is the second pillar, and 28 percent of Indian adults have high BP with most going untreated. Painkiller misuse adds the third layer. Easy over-the-counter access to diclofenac and ibuprofen, combined with self-medication for body ache and back pain in physical jobs, slowly damages the renal tubules. Long-term exposure to ayurvedic preparations that contain heavy metals can also cause renal injury. In agricultural districts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and parts of Karnataka, a distinct disease called CKDu strikes young farm workers without diabetes, linked to a mix of dehydration, heat stress and possible agrochemical exposure. Late diagnosis is then the killer multiplier. Routine urine and creatinine testing remains rare at primary health centres, so the kidney loses 60 to 80 percent of its function before symptoms show.
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