by: Froilan Macapil
Quezon City, Metro Manila – June 7, 2012. The number of Filipinos developing renal problems is increasing in an alarming rate. According to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), approximately 10,000 or more Filipinos are requiring kidney transplant every year because of unhealthy lifestyle. As unhealthy lifestyle and undisciplined living is not achieved by the people, more and more will be requiring kidney replacement.
According to the executive director of NKTI, Dr. Aileen Riego-Javier kidney failure ranked as the ninth leading cause of death among the Filipinos today. As the numbers of Filipinos having renal problems are rising so is the number of number of people who cannot afford the methods of treatment. According to statistics only 86% of those who have renal problems can undergo dialysis while only 14% can afford to have transplants. Without dialysis patients having end stage renal disease (ESRD) are likely to die. The numbers on the scales are not really so good. “Of those who start dialysis, majority survive only about one and a half years due to cardiovascular disease that increases with renal failure,” said Dr. Antonio R. Paraiso, NKTI’s renal disease control program (REDCOP) manager.
According to the Philippine Renal Disease Registry, type II diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in our country 44.6%, followed by hypertension 23%, and inflammation of the kidney 19.3%. Dr. Paraiso urged the public to eat healthy and lower alcohol intake, annual urinalysis should also be observed for early detection and treatment if there are any problems. Keeping the blood pressure within its normal range is also a big factor in preventing the development of kidney problems that may lead to a worse case – end stage renal disease or ESRD. This National Kidney Month, the NKTI will provide free kidney check-up on each Friday of June for the first 50 patients. They are doing this as part of their community service drive.
Source: Yahoo News.
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