admin 
LAHORE, (MANEND NEWS): Prevention, healthy lifestyle and balanced diet are a bulwark against kidney diseases. Timely diagnosis and early treatment are a key to control renal ailments.
This was unanimously observed by medical experts at a seminar on ‘Kidney Diseases and Importance of Dialysis’ organised by Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS), Jang Group of Newspapers, in collaboration with Ali Hajveri Free Drug Bank in connection with World Kidney Day.
Ombudsperson, Punjab, Nabila Hakim Ali Khan said that Pakistan was ranked 8th with regard to prevalence of kidney diseases in the world. “The chronic kidney diseases can prove fatal,” she added. Consultant Communix International USAID Dr Zafar Ikram said that Ali Hajveri Free Drug Bank has set up three centres in Mayo Hospital, Lahore General Hospital and Hazrat Ali Hajveri Data Darbar, where more than 30,000 patients get free medicines every month. Besides, more than 500 sugar patients get free insulin every month, and endocrine and thalassemia patients are also getting free medicines every month, he said, adding 1.8 million patients have got free medicines since 2012.
He said Ali Hajveri Trust launched free emergency ambulance service in 2019 and distributed free food during covid-19 pandemic. The Trust has also installed a water filtration plant in outdoor block of Mayo Hospital. He said Ali Hajveri dialysis centre is providing free dialysis services to the kidney patients since May 2017. As many as 50 kidney patients are being provided free dialysis services daily and overall at least 1,000 dialysis procedures were being performed upon patients each month.
President Ali Hajveri Free Drug Bank Dr Zaheer-ul-Hasan Mir said that Ali Hajveri Free Drug Bank was providing free services to thousands of deserving patients every month. The trust is going to establish a free dialysis complex and start free dialysis initially with 15 to 20 dialysis machines, which will gradually be increased up to 50 dialysis machines.
Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz, Professor of Surgery and former Principal of Services Institute of Medical Sciences/Services Hospital Lahore (SIMS/SHL), said kidneys play a role of a filter in the body, which discharges poisonous matters from the body. Kidneys produce blood and strengthen bones. He said that the symptoms of kidney diseases are usually very minor, which people tend to ignore.
“As a surgeon, when we conduct kidney tests of patients before surgery many of them get diagnosed with kidney diseases but they remain unaware of it before that,” he said, adding that the people must take care of their kidneys through prevention of blood pressure and diabetes. He also warned against self-medication. Prof Dr Riaz Tasneem, Professor of Urology, said that the symptoms of kidney diseases include weight loss, swollen eyes, ankle swelling, shortness of breath, irregular urine, etc. He advised people to avoid oily food and self-medication, control obesity, adopt healthy lifestyle, take balanced diet to prevent kidney diseases.
“If kidney diseases are complicated, then final treatment remains of dialysis and kidney transplantation, which is very expensive,” he added. King Edward Medical University (KEMU) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal said quacks contribute to major burden of diseases therefore people must seek advice from qualified doctors. Prof Dr Shafique Cheema, Professor and Head of Department of Nephrology, Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital Lahore, said that the facility of dialysis was not available to every nine out of 10 kidney patients in the world.
More than 700 million people are suffering from chronic kidney diseases in the world out of which at least 2 million patients are at a terminal stage. There are nearly 35 million people are diabetic in Pakistan and ranked it 3rd in the world, he said. “One out of every third person is suffering from blood pressure,” he said, adding that both diabetes and blood pressure are major causes of kidney diseases. Prof Dr Muhammad Anis, Head of Department of Nephrology/Urology, KEMU/Mayo Hospital, said that every nine out of 10 kidney patients are unaware of their ailment, which prompted this year’s theme of World Kidney Day 2022 as “Kidney Health for All – Bridge the Knowledge Gap for Better Kidney Care”. According to estimates, Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) will be 5 th largest killer in the world by 2040. Besides, former Director General Health Services (DGHS) Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Chairman Anjuman-e-Tajiran Mian Waqar Ahmad also spoke.