Kidney failure is a growing concern, reveals study

CHENNAI: The result report of first of it's kind state-wide field survey on kidney failure epidemiology in Tamil Nadu was released on account of World Kidney Day by health minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday.

The study highlighted the growing incidence of kidney failure and it was jointly conceptualized by the Department of Urology and Community Medicine, Madras Medical College, with financial support from the National Health Mission.

About 500 people including doctors and field workers from the Directorate of Public Health worked on it.

Another field study has revealed that agricultural workers, are more susceptible to kidney damage. Therefore, a study is to be initiated to find out the prevalence of kidney disease among agricultural workers across Tamil Nadu. Financial assistance for this has been received from the Tamilnadu Health System Reforms Programme. This research will also be conceptualized by the Department of Nephrology and Community Medicine, Madras Medical College.

World Kidney Day is observed on the second Thursday of March every year with an objective to create awareness among all sections of the society about kidney disease. This year, the theme of World Kidney Day is - "Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable".

Talking about the studies, health minister Ma Subramanian said that the Government of Tamil Nadu has taken several initiatives to address the challenge of Chronic Kidney Failure. He said that while kidney transplants are being done at government hospitals, the medicines for the treatment is being provided under the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme.

He said that dialysis treatment is provided in 128 government hospitals across Tamil Nadu and 1,056 hemodialysis units are in use and about 7,200 patients are benefited by this. More than 50,000 hemodialysis treatments are provided monthly.

"Apart from this, another dialysis treatment called Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) is also provided free of cost. With this treatment, dialysis treatment can be done at home. The required dialysis bags are provided at the homes of the beneficiaries and 216 people have received CAPD treatment through Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam, " he said.