Report: Kidney disease common cause of death

Chronic kidney disease is the sixth most common cause of death in Papua New Guinea, according to Health Secretary Pascoe Kase.
Kase told the 2017 World Kidney Day gathering yesterday that a report by PNG Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2010 said that the top five causes of death were lower-respiratory infection, cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis and heart disease and after kidney disease was malaria, stroke, diarrheal diseases and HIV.
“Kidney disease is a silent killer which will largely affect your quality of life, there are, however, several easy ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney diseases. First of all is to keep fit and active,” he said.
“Keep regular sugar level, monitor blood level, keep weight in check, maintain a healthy fluid intake and do not smoke.”
Kase said health professionals must educate people on the importance of eating right and healthy and looking after their health.
PNG Kidney Foundation chairman Martin Poh said World Kidney Day aimed to raise awareness of kidney-related diseases and the importance of healthy kidneys.
Poh said: “Currently at the Papua New Guinea Kidney Foundation, we have seen more than 70 patients who have been diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and undergo haemodialysis treatment three times a week for life and so far we had provided more than 2000 sessions of haemodialysis treatment.
“Patients having dialysis at our centre are the fortunate ones. There are many people in PNGwho are being diagnosed with kidney disease, but do not have access to dialysis treatment or other alternatives or they find it very expensive.”