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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Eighth world kidney day today |14 March 2013

This is also the eighth world kidney day and medical personnel of the Ministry of Health have called on every one to be more alert on patients’ complaints and ensure proper assessment and proper management of fluid and electrolytes imbalances to prevent risks of AKI.

Staff of the haemodialysis unit of the Ministry of Health are calling on the public to avoid abusing drugs like Brufen, Voltaren, Indocid and other anti-inflammatory drugs bought over the counter for aches and pains. They say this can lead to acute kidney injury or chronic kidney diseases.

People are being advised to eat healthily, control their blood pressure and diabetes, keep their appointments with their doctors, exercise regularly, drink plenty of fluids to flush their kidneys, prevent dehydration, avoid tobacco and other substance use and reduce the consumption of alcohol.

In Seychelles, there are 107 patients following intermittent renal replacement therapy haemodialysis for chronic renal failure on Mahe and Praslin.

An increase was recorded in the number of acute kidney injury requiring dialysis last year. From January this year to date, an alarming number of 12 new patients have been admitted for chronic dialysis treatment and also the number of patients needing temporary dialysis has increased. This is due to acute kidney injury through conditions like leptospirosis, sepsis and hypovolaemic shock (that is depleted fluid volume in the body causing fluid and electrolytes imbalances) leading to shock.

The cost of renal replacement therapy for total kidney failure weighs heavily on many health care budgets and the economic burden for developing countries is particularly severe, partly because chronic kidney diseases generally occur at a younger age therefore a frequency of dialysis.

Acute kidney injury, previously called acute renal failure, refers to a loss of kidney function over hours or days. It is common, harmful and can be treated. It also results in prolonged lengths of stay in the hospital settings and increased morbidity and mortality. Some patients recover from acute kidney injury while others are left with chronic kidney disease.

Many ignore the function of their kidneys, while they are at the heart of our body’s health. The main job of our kidneys is to remove toxins and excess water from our blood. Kidneys also help to control our blood pressure, produce red blood cells and hormones, and keep our bones healthy.

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