Commemorated on the second Thursday of March each year, World Kidney Day 2019 will be held on the 14th of March this year, under the theme Kidney Health for Everyone Everywhere. This day is used to create awareness and bring global attention to the importance of kidney health. All over the world the risk factors that can lead to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) are highlighted with the goal of educating the public on the importance of managing CKD and to encourage kidney donation. Transplants are the most effective way of helping people suffering with kidney failure.

Established in 2006 it is a joint venture between the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF). According to statistics, 850 million people worldwide are estimated to have kidney diseases originating from various causes. It is further the cause of at least 2.4 million deaths per year, with CKD being considered as the 6th fastest growing cause of death.

In Sri Lanka too CKD is a problem with CKD affecting thousands of people in approximately 11 out of the 25 districts, most noticeably in the North Central province. It is through initiatives such as walks and awareness programmes educating people of preventative measures that CKD can be curbed. On a positive note Sri Lanka has a recognized track record for the latest facilities and treatments on offer for CKD. Earlier this year the Presidential Task Force for Kidney Disease Prevention collaborated with the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine to conduct a project at the Kandy Hospital to transplant the kidneys of people who die due to brain injury.

Simply put CKD is when the kidneys, the body’s filter responsible for removing waste products, fail resulting in a build up of waste within the body, that normally would be excreted through urine. Kidneys keep us healthy by optimising the composition of our blood, keeps our bones strong while also helping our bodies make red blood cells. When the kidneys do work properly or fail it leads to poor health and if not treated properly, death.

Recognizing symptoms and being diagnosed early is one of the best ways to slow down kidney failure. There are also simple measures that can be taken to help towards avoiding or slowing down the onset of kidney failure.

This year at Western Hospital we have organised an awareness walk on Thursday the 14th of March, together with an awareness programme and free consultations, to be held at our premises from 7am to 2 pm.