Kidney diseases taking a growing toll

The continued toll that kidney diseases take on our society is really worrying. Recent data from the Kidney Foundation has revealed that 54 individuals succumb to kidney-related diseases each day, with approximately 20 million Bangladeshis facing such diseases and nearly 80,000 grappling with end-stage kidney failure. The statistics also reveal a grim annual death toll of 40,000, attributed to complications associated with dialysis or organ transplant. These findings underscore the pressing need for a better policy response.

A lot can be said about the causes of kidney ailments, but for policymakers, it's more urgent to build an infrastructure that can support the growing number of patients facing challenges in accessing both dialysis and kidney transplantation. Firstly, there is a critical shortage of organ donors that severely limits treatment options for end-stage patients. Currently, kidney transplants are authorised if the donor is from a patient's family or a clinically dead person. But the crisis of donors cannot be addressed by relaxing the law alone; for that, a social transformation is also vital. The high cost of transplants also serves as a deterrent for many patients.

Secondly, there are various challenges for patients on dialysis, which must be addressed. According to a study, around 40 percent of patients cannot afford dialysis at all, and 90 percent discontinued treatment after three to four months. Roughly 50 percent of these patients die within two years of kidney failure. Unfortunately, there is no government-determined fee for dialysis. The costs of dialysis and associated services/medicine can widely vary between public and private facilities. Government hospitals, the lost resort for the financially vulnerable patients, also come with their own sets of challenges.

We, therefore, need to take a critical look at the current state of affairs and make necessary reforms. The importance of increasing funding, building proper infrastructure, reducing import duties on equipment and medicines, and other supportive initiatives cannot be overstated. Private donations can be one source of funding, and the authorities must undertake regular drives to tap into zakat funds, CSR funds, and other such options. There is also a need to popularise organ donation, which can help tremendously.