Kalinga provincial hospital chief Dr. Ignacio Cawas said that based on reports, at least 13,000 Filipinos develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD) every year.

He said that in the province, many patients are coming for consultations, but they come too late for treatment because they were not aware of the nature of their disease.

Cawas said that lifestyle is a great factor in acquiring the disease, especially among excessive drinkers and consumers of unhealthy foods.

He also said that this is why kidney disease is prevalent among people with diabetes and hypertension, increasing the risk for a person to suffer heart attack and death.

Cawas said that there is a need to intensify the public’s level of awareness on how to take care of their kidneys and prevent ESRD.
Among the ways, he said, is to drink a lots of water, at least eight glasses a day, to flush out any bacteria or harmful residue in the kidney, and for every individual to observe a healthy lifestyle daily, aside from the regular check-ups with the doctor.

“Renal disease is expensive that even if there is a donor to replace a damaged kidney, this still needs a lot of money for the medicines, operation and continuous treatment,” he said.

Based on the health information profile of the province last year, ESRD is ranked fourth among the top causes of death, with a total of 67 cases where 43 are males and 24 are females.

Ranked first is cardiac vascular arrest/stroke with 146 cases, second is pneumonia with 116 cases, and third is cancer with 106 cases of death.

Through Presidential Decree No. 184 issued by then President Fidel V. Ramos in May of 1993, the month of June is observed all over the country as National Kidney Month.

Leading the nationwide celebration is the National Kidney Institute through the Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP), geared towards prevention and control of renal and other related diseases in the country.

In support to REDCOP, the Department of the Interior and Local Government ordered all governors and all city and municipal mayors to designate their provincial city and municipal REDCOP coordinators to conduct fora on renal health and renal disease prevention; and spearhead activities to promote such. (JDP/GGD-PIA CAR, Kalinga)

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