World Kidney Day is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF). It was launched for the first time in 2006 and it is held the second Thursday of March. The World Kidney Day is celebrated on 8 March, 2007 in more than 50 countries.
The purpose of World Kidney Day is to raise awareness about the importance of our kidneys ? an amazing organ that plays a crucial role in keeping us alive and well ? and to spread the message that kidney disease is common, harmful and treatable.
About 500 million adults worldwide were suffering from chronic kidney diseases, experts said at a World Kidney Day programme. The Nephrology Department of the Institute of Medical Sciences at Banaras Hindu University and the International Society of Nephrology organised the function, reported by Hindustan Times, India.
A group of patients in Bangalore, diagnosed with end-stage renal disease, have set up the Dialysis Trust of Bangalore with the objective of spreading awareness about the kidney, the importance of taking care of these organs as part of global public health efforts. Over 1.5 million individuals around the world receive dialysis or have had a kidney transplant. The Bangalore Dialysis Trust aimed at creating awareness about the kidney and its diseases, and in particular, drive home the message that with care and management, patients could lead normal lives, Nagaraj Achar, a trustee, told The Hindu .
People with chronic kidney disease are more likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attacks and strokes. The health of their kidneys may also progressively worsen to the point where the kidneys must be replaced (this is called “end-stage renal disease”). Either patients receive a new, transplanted kidney or they are kept alive with ?dialysis? ? a machine that cleans their blood about three times a week.
Fortunately, we can detect chronic kidney disease early on, and detection is easy. Simple, routine tests of our urine, blood and blood pressure can show early signs of kidney problems. And the good news is that once we know these problems, we can slow down and even stop chronic kidney disease, by taking medicines and changing some of our living habits.