By Diabetes, hypertension, stones among main causes of kidney failure — doctor
KOTA KINABALU: There are about 7,000 to 8,000 recorded cases of kidney failure each year in Malaysia.
Dr Kenneth Wu, a Sabahbased nephrologist, said diabetes, hypertension, stones and wrong medication were among the main causes of kidney failure.
“Patients with kidney failure are left with two options – either to opt for dialysis or a transplant,” said Kenneth in his health talk entitled ‘A Powerful Treatment For Kidney Failure’ at the EWest Banquet Hall yesterday.
He revealed that the total number of dialysis patients had also been increasing rapidly.
“There were 7,800 dialysis patients back in 2000. Then in 2010, the figure increased to 23,000. Now, there are more than 40,000 dialysis patients,” he explained.
Kidney failure is a growing concern among Malaysians due to their sedentary lifestyle.
It is understood that patients suffering from kidney failure require treatment up to three times per week.
Furthermore, private centres usually charge between RM200 to RM300 per session for dialysis treatment alone and these charges vary, depending on extra services such as blood taking, doctor’s consultation and Epogen.
Based on this calculation, such treatment could reach up to between RM3,000 and RM4, 000 per month.
The health talk was a part of the Hemodialysis Kinabalu Sabah Association’s (PHKS) awareness programmes for the public on the kidney disease and dialysis treatment.
Since October 18, 2005 until December 2018, the association had provided dialysis services to a total of 61 patients.
PHKS is currently treating 32 patients who were referred from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Perkeso and as well as walk-in applications.
For more information on PHKS, members of the public may visit the association’s official Facebook page or contact them at phkshemo@gmail.com or 088272277.