the goan I network
PANAJI
Kidney ailments which have caused pain to thousands of families mostly in rural Goa over the last two decades and left health officials flummoxed as to what the trigger is in endemic regions such as Canacona, has now been blamed primarily on lack of awareness among other reasons by top nephrologist Dr Shital Lengde.
Lengde who interacted with the media on Wednesday ahead of the ‘World Kidney Day’ listed lack of awareness, poor hydration habits, environmental toxins and poor quality of water with high content of minerals such as Arsenic as the major contributors to why incidence of chronic kidney disease in Goa is high.
Goa ranks on par with Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and is at the top of the list of Indian States where the ratio of population with the non-communicable disease is high, especially in the rural areas.According to Lengade, a top nephrologist consulting in some private hospitals in Goa including Healthway in Old Goa and Panaji, also said that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the sixth fastest growing cause of death globally.
“In Goa’s rural areas, 30 per cent of the CKD cases are
mostly linked to environmental factors, poor hydration habits, poor quality of water and high mineral content like arsenic, cadmium, besides other unknown genetic factors,” Dr Lengade said, adding that lack of awareness is one of the key reasons although medical facilities are equally good in both urban and rural regions.
“In urban Goa, the common causes for kidney disease have been identified as diabetes and hypertension, which account for 30-35 per cent and 20 per cent of the reported cases respectively,” Dr Lengade claimed. Dr Lengade, who also serves as an honorary kidney transplant nephrologist at Goa Medical College (GMC) and Hospital, said persons who suffer recurring kidney stone diseases or have high uric acid levels, should avoid shellfish, prawns and crabs as a precautionary dietary measure. Dr Lengade also advised against over-the-counter purchase of pain-killers and their indiscriminate use without medical supervision. He also suggested healthy hydration as water intake is the most effective bulwarks against kidney disease, helping flush out toxins and reduce incidence of kidney injury.
“Fish on the other hand, is a healthier option. Goan cuisine includes coconut which needs to be curbed in patients with CKD, to reduce high potassium levels,” he said, adding that a regular fitness routine, fluid intake, not smoking and restricting over use of pain killers and other medicines can help.
However, those already suffering from kidney-related issues have to restrict their water intake and drink only recommended amounts.
Besides officiating as an ‘honorary’ kidney-transplant nephrologist at the GMC, Dr Lengde has also begun the first private sector kidney transplant centre at the Healthway Hospital and the team has already performed four transplants in the last six months.
