Incidence of kidney diseases in PHL rising every year
‘as the NKTI, DOH strengthen advocacy on prevention’
Cebu City (23 March) - Filipinos afflicted with kidney diseases is increasing every year as the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) and the Department of Health (DOH) strengthens its advocacy campaign on early detection of kidney dysfunction.
NKTI-Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) Assistant Program Manager Dr. Susan Jorge said that currently, there are 11,172 patients nationwide undergoing dialysis because of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) based on their registry.
The figure however is just the tip of the iceberg as Jorge said the actual number of Filipinos with renal problems may be more.
Jorge was one of the main panelists of the weekly Kapihan sa PIA this morning that tackled the ‘Incidence of Kidney Diseases: What the Public Ought to Know.”
“The data that we have is based on the patients undergoing dialysis as reports are submitted to the NKTI but we do not have the exact figure as to those people with actual renal problems but do not subject themselves to dialysis because of lack of money,” Jorge said. Dialysis treatment costs about P5,000 in private hospitals while in government health institutions, the fee is between P2,000 to P2,500, this is learned.
Kidney disease is the seventh leading cause of death nationwide, this is said.
Jorge said that since their registry was established 10 years ago, the incidence of kidney diseases is rising by 10 to 20 percent annually.
“The National Capital Region registered the highest number of cases perhaps due to the fact, that most people with renal problems seek second opinion in Manila,” Jorge explained.
DOH-7 REDCOP Regional Program Coordinator Dr. Jocelyn Abellana on the other hand, said the incidence in the region is actually decreasing.
“In 2008, we had 426 newly-diagnosed ESRD patients that were on dialysis which went down to 386 cases in 2009 and decreased further to 346 cases in 2010,” according to Abellana.
“Perhaps our REDCOP advocacy bore fruit based on the declining trend of incidence of kidney diseases,” Abellana noted.
Out of the 346 cases last year, the bulk of those undergoing dialysis came from Cebu with 275 patients followed by Bohol with 82 and 36 in Negros Oriental and two in Siquijor.
There are 16 dialysis centers in the region nine of which are in Cebu, four in Negros Oriental and three in Bohol.
Even if the dialysis treatment costs much less in government health institutions, more people avail of the treatment in private dialysis centers, Abellana said.
“Though one pays almost 50 percent less for dialysis cost in government hospitals, the problem is it is not open 24 hours a day and seven days a week due to manpower shortage unlike in private hospitals,” Abellana said.
Abellana said renal disease is the ninth leading cause of mortality rate in Central Visayas.
Both Jorge and Abellana said the only way to prevent renal disease is to prevent having hypertension and diabetes, as both of these diseases are the top leading cause of renal problems.
“It all boils down to adopting a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet and regular exercise,” Abellana stressed.
The NKTI in collaboration with the Philippine Information Agency is conducting a one-day seminar in Cebu today on ‘Urinalysis: Maximizing the Use of a Basic Tool for Diagnosis and Prevention of Kidney Diseases’ to over 80 public health physicians in Central Visayas. (PIA-Cebu/Fayette C. Riñen)