Staff Reporter
The World Kidney Day took place at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) on Thursday. The main objectives of holding this day was to highlight the importance of kidneys to overall health and raises awareness of risk factors to reduce the frequency and impact of kidneys and its associated health problems. Since the novel coronavirus infection outbreak has been labeled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and novel coronavirus ‘COVID-19’ infections in Pakistan has risen to 20. The SIUT experts from infectious diseases department discussed the disease and advised the participants to take simple and effective precautionary measures which they normally take against common flu like covering the nose and mouth while coughing and sneezing. The 2020 campaign focuses on preventive interventions to avoid the onset and progression of kidney disease calling for “Kidneys health for everyone everywhere- from prevention to detection and equitable access to care”. The SIUT organized day-long public awareness program events at its Dewan Farooq Medical Centre Karachi and SIUT Chhablani Medical Centre Sukkur. On this occasion the SIUT experts highlighted that the sharp increase in number of kidney diseases is alarming as an estimate of 850 million people are affected with kidney diseases worldwide resulting in 2.4 million deaths annually which is ranked as the sixth fastest growing cause of death worldwide. They disclosed that Pakistan is the eighth largest country with high prevalence of kidney diseases causing 20 thousand deaths annually. They pointed out that the leading cause of chronic kidney diseases are primarily diabetes, kidney stones diseases and high blood pressure while other causes are excessive use of pain killers, some herbal medicines, genetic disorders, by birth defects, infections, environmental pollution and unhygienic conditions.
