Chennai: As part of World Kidney Day, various events are taking place throughout the week to spread awareness among the public on nephro related things.
At the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, the recipient and donor of the 1,500th kidney transplant were honoured.
A beneficiary of maintenance haemodialysis programme, who has been on dialysis for four years, and another patient with chronic kidney disease, who has been under treatment for over 30 years at the RGGGH, were also honoured.
The nephrology team of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) has performed haemodialysis for 725 CovidD-19 patients, according to dean E Theranirajan. So far, 1,520 kidney transplants have been performed at the RGGGH.
Living with dialysis
Speaking to ‘News Today’, Dr Rahul Patibandla, nephrologist, NephroPlus Dialysis Centre, Hyderabad, says it is possible to lead a normal life with kidney disease by making subtle changes to lifestyle.
“The most important thing is to accept your condition and have a positive attitude. This will help you take control of your health and live long and well. Taking regular medications, following a strict diet regimen and regular follow ups with your treating doctor will help you lead a good quality of life,” he says.
“How to strike balance with dialysis and routine life?” To this question, his answer is: Being on Dialysis does not mean you cannot lead a normal life. You can still work full time, adjusting your work timings to suit your dialysis sessions.
Physical activity can be taken up according to your doctor’s advice. A vacation can also be planned without missing on your dialysis sessions, as a wide network of dialysis centres is available across the globe.
Listing out the ways to prevent kidney ailments, he says, “Good control of diabetes, hypertension, avoid regular use of painkillers, avoid high salt intake, ensure adequate fluid intake, eat healthy diet, make sure regular physical activity, stop smoking and limit alcohol intake, and take regular kidney health check up, if you have risk factors for kidney disease.”
34 million sessions per year
There are about 20 lakh kidney disease patients who get added in India and require 34 million dialysis sessions in total every year and the Covid-19 outbreak in the country has made things even more challenging for them.
While the government of India has introduced Haemodialysis under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) in 2016; its scope has now also been extended to Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) to help patients get affordable and accessible treatment remotely.
“The rapid embrace of Home Peritoneal Dialysis to address the increasing demand for dialysis brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed to expansion of peritoneal dialysis across the country. Lack of awareness and experience with PD are commonly cited barriers to wider adoption and use of the modality. Covid-19 pandemic should be a learning for us and thus, it is time we realise the importance of the home-based, affordable and accessible dialysis treatment,” said Dr Georgi Abraham, Prof. of Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry & consultant- nephrologist, Madras Medical Mission, Chennai.
Affordable access
The government’s decision to include PD, an advanced and convenient technology for home-based dialysis treatment under the PMNDP in 2016 has been helping kidney failure patients to have affordable and easy access to this home-based treatment option.
Says Dr N Gopalakrishnan MD, Director, Institute of Nephrology, Madras Medical College, Chennai, “Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) is a viable option of Renal Replacement Therapy for patients with End Stage Kidney Failure. The burden of chronic kidney disease is increasing by leaps and bounds in India. Exponential increase in the incidence of Diabetes, hypertension, environmental pollution, heat stress and exposure to chemicals are the possible reasons. CAPD is very expensive and most of the patients cannot really afford. But this treatment is included in CMCHIS (Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme) in Tamilnadu. Adding further fillip to it is the coverage of CAPD under PMNDP. Tamilnadu is one of the few states to implement CAPD under insurance schemes. Let’s hope, other States to expedite the process and see to it CAPD becomes accessible to everyone in need, across the entire country.”
Celebrity touch
Mehta Multispecialty Hospitals India Pvt Ltd in Chennai is organising a walkathon on Sunday (14 March) at Elliot’s beach, Besant Nagar, Chennai to commemorate World Kidney Day.
This year the World Kidney Day promotes the theme ‘Living Well with Kidney Disease’. Actors Namitha and Ramesh Khanna will flag off the the walkathon.