‘Healthy Lifestyle for Healthy Kidneys’ by KMC on ‘World Kidney Day’
Mangaluru: In an endeavour to raise awareness for kidney related diseases and its importance on overall health, KMC Hospital unveiled a campaign to champion the cause. In line with this year’s global theme, ‘Kidney disease and Obesity’ and with a motto to follow ‘healthy lifestyle for healthy kidneys’, the campaign was flagged off in the presence of Dr. Sushanth Kumar B, Consultant Nephrologist, Dr. Ashok Bhat, Consultant Nephrologist, Dr G G Laxman Prabhu, Consultant Urologist and Dr. Anand Venugopal, Medical Superintendent KMC Hospital along with the hospital’s first kidney transplant patient Damodhar Acharya.
Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Mangalore Press Club, Dr Anand Venugopal, Medical Superintendent of KMC-Mangaluru said, “It is our constant effort at KMC Hospitals Mangaluru to bring quality healthcare services to the people of our region, we constantly endeavour to upgrade our services for the benefit of our patients. We have performed the maximum number of Kidney Transplant surgeries in Mangaluru in 2016-17. We are striving to bring awareness on organ donation and requirement of transplant surgeries. We have recently received Liver Transplant license, making us the fourth Hospital in the Manipal Group to be fully equipped for high-end Transplant Surgeries. We have a team of dedicated in-house Liver Transplant specialist who will closely monitor the patient from Admission to Discharge. Hence making us the only hospital in the region to be equipped with round the clock specialists in the field”
Also speaking, Dr Sushanth Kumar B, Consultant, Nephrologist said, “Obesity is one of the key risk factors for the development of Kidney Disease. It increases the risk of developing major Chronic Kidney disease like diabetes, hypertension etc. The good news is that obesity, as well as chronic kidney disease, is largely preventable. Education and awareness of the risks of obesity and a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition and exercise can dramatically help in preventing these diseases. Reducing obesity may slow down the progression of the disease as well. According to WHO, by 2025, obesity will affect 18% of men and over 21% of women worldwide and severe obesity will affect 6% of all men and 9% of all women around the world. In some nations, obesity is already present in more than one-third of the adult population and contributes significantly to overall poor health and high annual medical costs.”
Dr Ashok Bhat, Consultant, Nephrologist said, “Patients with risk factors for chronic kidney disease should undergo screening tests for early detection and start preventive measures because the effectiveness of preventive measures is best seen when started early in course of the disease. In the initial stages, kidney disease is totally silent (No Symptoms). Hence the importance of screening tests for early detection. Screening tests include a simple urine analysis and measurement of serum creatinine (Blood test). People who need to undergo screening include those with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, family history of kidney failure, recurrent kidney stones and recurrent urinary tract infections.”
Dr G G Laxman Prabhu, Consultant Urologist said, “Kidney Transplant services are well established now in KMC Hospital Ambedkar Circle since our first transplant in 2004. The hospital is authorized to conduct cadaver organ retrieval and transplantation and we have been successful in conducting cadaver transplantation too. We are looking forward to performing Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy in the near future which will decrease the morbidity of the live related donor. We have also sent a proposal to the Government of Karnataka to establish a Zonal centre at District Wenlock Hospital Mangaluru which will make transplant services easy in our region”.
Obesity is a growing worldwide epidemic and a significant risk factor for chronic kidney disease. This year World Kidney Day promotes education about the harmful consequences of obesity and its association with kidney disease. Hence, as a part of the campaign, KMC launched various packages for the benefit of kidney patients. On this occasion, the hospital will offer regular dialysis patient 1 dialysis @ rs.600/- and Regular Lab investigations free of cost to 40 dialysis patients.