World Kidney Day will be commemorated on the 14th of March 2013. The theme for 2013 is “Kidneys for Life – Stop Kidney Attack”. World Kidney Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys, our overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
Kidneys are complicated and amazing organs that have numerous essential biological roles. The main job of our kidneys is to remove toxins and excess water from our blood. Kidneys also help to control our blood pressure, to produce red blood cells and to keep our bones healthy. Each roughly the size of a fist, are located deep in the abdomen, beneath the rib cage. Kidneys control blood stream levels of many minerals and molecules including sodium and potassium, and help to control blood acidity. Every day our kidneys carefully control the salt and water in our body so that our blood pressure remains the same.
The prevalence of kidney disease is increasing dramatically and the cost of treating this growing epidemic represents an enormous burden on health care. Between 8 and 10% of the adult population have some form of kidney damage, and every year a lot of people die prematurely of complications related to Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD). Diabetes, hypertension and heart disease are the most common causes of CKD, especially in the aging populations.
The first consequence of undetected CKD is the risk of developing progressive loss of kidney function, eventually leading to kidney failure and thus the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. The second consequence is the high risk of premature death from associated cardiovascular disease (CVD). Individuals who appear to be healthy and are then found to have CKD have an increased risk of dying prematurely from CVD regardless of whether they ever develop kidney failure.
Kidney disease can be detected early. Simple laboratory tests are done on small samples of blood (to measure creatinine content and estimate GFR) and on urine (to measure creatinine and albumin excretion). The majority of individuals with early stages of CKD go undiagnosed because there are few or no symptoms. The early detection of failing kidney function is crucial because it offers the window to implement treatment before end-stage kidney damage or cardiovascular problems occur.
Screening is critical for those people considered to be at high risk of kidney disease, namely:
Diabetes and hypertension patients.
Individuals who are obese or smoke.
Adults over 50 years of age.
People with a family history of kidney disease, diabetes mellitus or hypertension.
On World Kidney Day the Northern Cape Department of Health is calling on everyone to check if they are at risk for kidney disease and encourages more people to take a simple kidney function test. It will hold an awareness campaign on organ donation and transplantation on World Kidney Day. Details are as follows:
DATE: THURSDAY, 14 MARCH 2013
VENUE: DIAMOND PAVILLION MALL (Opposite Woolworths)
TIME: 08H30 – 15H00
Screening for blood pressure, blood glucose, urine testing and HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) will be done MAHAALA!
Sr Rose Rautenheimer (Organ Transplant Coordinator) can be contacted @ 0721789640 for more details on organ donations and how to register online @ www.odf.org.za. ENDS
Issued by the Northern Cape Department of Health