8,000 new kidney failure patients recorded in Vietnam annually

A patient receives renal dialysis (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – An expert has recommended people take
regular check-ups to detect as an estimated 5 million
people in Vietnam suffer from kidney issues, and the number rises by about
8,000 each year.

The recommendation was made by Dr. Nguyen Vinh
Hung, head of the kidney and blood filtration department at Hospital E, at a
meeting marking World Kidney Day in Hanoi on March 14.

There are about 800,000 patients with end-stage
renal diseases, or 0.1 percent of the country’s population. The main causes of
this disease are kidney problems, high blood pressure and diabetes.

He noted that more than 50 percent of patients
die within five years of renal dialysis, and only 15 – 20 percent can live at
least 10 years under this type of treatment. 

They need to have dialysis three times a week,
and it costs 100 – 150 million VND (4,300 – 6,500 USD) each year, a burden on
not only patients and their families but also society, the doctor said.

However, he added, kidney diseases can be
controlled and patients can have a normal life if they receive good treatment.

As the disease occur slowly over many years,
Hung called on people to have regular health examinations to detect early
signs, while those at high risk should have kidney disease screening.

He also suggested them lead a healthy lifestyle by
using clean water, doing regular physical exercise and avoiding harmful factors
like smoking or drinking alcohol.

The , the second Thursday in
March, was initiated in 2006 by the World Health Organisation in the face of
the rising patients and kidney-related diseases around the
globe. It fell on March 14 this year.-VNA