South Africa

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects over 5 million South Africans. This is supported by a current research that the World Health Organization (WHO) carried out in honor of World Kidney Day on March 10. 

500 million people worldwide are thought to have Chronic kidney disease, according to a prior global health organization statistic.


What is Chronic kidney disease?

Chronic kidney disease is an illness marked by a gradual decline of kidney function over months or years. Each of your kidneys contains around a million small filters known as nephrons. When nephrons are injured, they cease to function.

Chronic kidney disease is a silent disease since most patients are unaware at the beginning and early stages of the disease. Targeted screening of persons at risk of developing Chronic kidney disease is therefore crucial for early identification, prevention or slowing of development, and prompt therapy of CKD.

Healthy nephrons can handle the added labor for a period. However, if the damage persists, an increasing number of nephrons will shut down. After a certain point, the remaining nephrons are unable to filter your blood effectively enough to keep you healthy.

When your kidney function goes below a specific level, you get renal failure, which affects your entire body and makes you feel very poorly. Kidney failure can be fatal if left untreated.



Hypertension found to be the most cause of the illness

The study found that the prevalence of kidney failure among adults in South Africa is high, owing primarily to inherited hypertension (between 60% and 65%) or type 2 diabetes (another 20% to 25%), with the rate among the country's black population being four times higher than that of other groups due to hypertension's high prevalence.

You can lose up to 90% of your kidney function before you notice any symptoms, and most individuals don't notice any symptoms until their CKD is advanced.

Diabetes and high blood pressure have been recognized as the two most frequent renal diseases. People with diabetes are also encouraged to monitor their blood sugar levels and take insulin as needed.

It is essential that persons with high blood pressure check their levels on a regular basis and take the medication exactly as prescribed.

According to Fadhl Solomon, cardiovascular product manager at Pharma Dynamics, around 2 000 individuals are waiting for a kidney transplant. "For some, the chances of being matched with a suitable donor organ while still healthy enough to donate are limited." Said Solomon.


Study researchers suggestions:

A healthy diet, frequent exercise, and plenty of water are all advised. A healthy diet contains plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and limited processed foods.

Medical professionals recommend that people drink plenty of water. Water transports vital nutrients to the kidneys and waste to the bladder in the form of urine. Four to six cups a day is usually plenty, but if you are unwell or out in the heat, you may need more.

Furthermore, people are discouraged from smoking and drinking excessively. Smoking increases the risk of kidney cancer and destroys blood arteries, which affects your kidneys by reducing blood flow to them.