Chronic Kidney Disease in Pakistan
London: One in seven people suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Pakistan, observed Dr Junaid Iqbal, consultant nephrologist associated with the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC), at a session held to commemorate World Kidney Day. Annually observed on the second Thursday of March, the day is being marked this year on March 12.
The theme for the current year is ‘Prevention of kidney diseases’. According to Dr Iqbal, one in 10 adults has a chronic kidney condition in the country, an official statement said. The global health expenditure was burdened with CKD related expenses, he added. “The cost of dialysis and transplantation consumes around 2% to 3% of the annual healthcare budget in high-income countries. This is spent on less than 0.03% of the total population of these countries.”