CHRONIC kidney disease (CKD) affects 1 in 7 Malaysians.
The disease varies in severity but at more advanced levels, it is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, and much hardship for patients and their families, says head of nephrology services at the Ministry of Health, Dr Sunita Bavanandan.
CKD is a rising global public health concern too with an estimated 850 million people affected worldwide. As a progressive disease, very often linked to diabetes and hypertension, CKD can lead to kidney failure, also known as End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD), which requires dialysis or transplantation.
Diabetes is a significant risk factor for developing CKD with over 50,000 patients in Malaysia currently undergoing dialysis. By 2040, it is estimated that approximately 100,000 patients would require dialysis.
Dialysis is the most common form of treatment for CKD patients, and involves the removal of waste and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys are no longer able to perform that function well.
Malaysian Society of Nephrology (MSN) president Dr Lily Mushahar says the rate of CKD health screening in Malaysia is still very low when compared to cancer screening.
"Please perform a blood and urine test to know your kidney health as much better outcomes can be achieved with early screening," says Dr Lily.
To raise awareness on kidney disease, dialysis care provider Baxter, has launched "Begin Again", an educational campaign which emphasises the importance of timely treatment and empowers those who have been diagnosed with ESKD with the knowledge they need to move forward with treatment while still living life to the fullest.
In Asia Pacific, the Begin Again campaign will run in nine languages across ten regions, aiming to reach over 28 million people.
As part of the campaign, those wishing to learn more about CKD are encouraged to visit www.mykidneyjourney.com – a website designed to provide comprehensive and objective information on CKD and ESKD treatment options in a way that is easy to understand.
To encourage the public to go for CKD health screening, the Malaysian Society of Nephrology in collaboration with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) will also run a free CKD health screening programme called "Buah Pinggang Anda Ok? Jom Check!" nationwide.