Mohali, March 13, 2025: To raise awareness about kidney-related ailments, Fortis Hospital Mohali marked World Kidney Day by organising a special session with Sahaayak, a support group for dialysis patients. Dr. Amit Sharma, Senior Consultant, Nephrology, Fortis Hospital Mohali, also highlighted the importance of early detection in preventing kidney disease.
Observed annually on the second Thursday of March, this year’s World Kidney Day theme revolves around “Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect Early, Protect Kidney Health.” The event aimed to educate patients and caregivers about medical, dietary, and psychological aspects of maintaining quality kidney health.
Around 35 dialysis patients, accompanied by their families, attended the session. Dr. Sharma hosted the interactive discussion, including a quiz competition, to engage participants in learning about kidney health. He emphasized that increasing public awareness about risk factors, early symptoms, and timely medical intervention can help reduce chronic kidney diseases (CKD) prevalence.
“CKD affects nearly 10% of the global population, with 80% of cases occurring in low and lower-middle-income countries. A significant 35% of these cases are reported in India and China alone. The increasing incidence of CKD is attributed to factors like aging, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, along with environmental threats such as air pollution and toxins. Therefore, regular and early diagnosis of kidney are crucial in preventing kidney diseases,” said Dr. Sharma.
Who is at Risk?
Individuals at higher risk for CKD include those with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, a family history of kidney disease, recurrent kidney stones, congenital kidney anomalies, exposure to toxins, and certain infections (Hepatitis B, C, HIV and parasites).
How to Maintain Kidney Health?
Adopting the 8 golden rules can help: healthy diet, hydration, physical activity, blood pressure control, blood sugar monitoring, avoiding smoking, limiting Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) use, and targeted kidney function testing for high-risk individuals.
Importance of Early Detection
A person can lose up to 80-90% of kidney function before experiencing symptoms. Regular urine tests, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) tests, blood pressure monitoring, and blood sugar tests are crucial for at-risk individuals.
Early detection can slow disease progression, reduce complications and mortality, improve quality of life, and lower healthcare costs. Fortis Hospital Mohali remains committed to promoting kidney health through awareness and education.
