Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is emerging as a major healthcare challenge reporting over 850,000 deaths worldwide as it is seen as a silent disease.

In India, CKD problem is acute. Only few patients have access to renal replacement and transplant therapy, stated a panel of medical experts at a round-table organized by Research & Advocacy wing of Imprimis, a multi-disciplinary communications consultancy in association with Sanofi India. The latter has been highlighting the importance of organ donation going by the increasing brain deaths in the country which could help faster access to donated organs like kidney in brain dead cases and save CKD patients.

In his keynote address, Dr L Swasticharan, chief medical officer (CMO),  Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and in-charge of National Tobacco Control Programme and other NCDs, highlighted the dilemma of dialysis versus transplantation; deceased organ donation; and the role of health insurance in the equation.

Indian annual incidence of CKD is estimated at around 175 per million.  There is need to raise awareness because CKD is expensive to treat and a large proportion of the patients lack access to care because of affordability hampering quality of patient life, he added.

“Nearly 10 per cent of Indians are diagnosed of kidney disease and the big worry is it is seen as asymptomatic. Some symptoms like lethargy, swelling of legs and face, anaemia, and decreased appetite may point to kidney disease. Therefore control of diabetes is vital,” said Dr Sanjay Gupta, additional professor of Nephrology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

According to Alok Khettry, senior director, CNS, Emerging Markets & Super Specialty Business, Sanofi India, since CKD is usually silent, creating awareness could prevent complications and expenses incurred as a  consequence of the disease. Sanofi is collaborating with various stakeholders to improve the CKD management through patient awareness and better access to treatment to improve survival rates.

The number of transplants required is far more than the donors available. Presently, there are less than 300 registered kidney transplant centres, around 700 nephrologists and about 100 transplant surgeons. The scenario demands a new approach with investments in research and early screening to identify vulnerable groups, stated Dr Harsha Jauhari, chairman, Dept of Renal Transplant Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

Dr Sanjiv Jasuja, senior consultant, Nephrology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said that rampant use of painkillers and its easy access over-the-counter is an important cause of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and CKD.

Other participants included Dr Dinesh K Dhanwal, director and professor  of Medicine and Endocrinologist, Maulana Azad Medical College, Aseem Garg, founder and CEO, Deep Chand Dialysis Centre (DCDC), Dr Sunil Kumar Jain, chief pharmacist, AIIMS & VP, Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), Delhi Branch, Sanjay Jain, senior advocate, High Court of Delhi - Committee member, Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill, 2008, Pallavi Kumar, executive director, Mohan Foundation and Dr S Vijay, claims head, Religare Health Insurance.