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Chronic Kidney Disease Rising Rapidly in South Asia, Affecting 16% of the Population

Prime Highlights

  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD)has become a major public health concern in South Asia, affecting around 16% of the population.
  • Health experts urge early screening, better diet, and preventive measuresas CKD cases surge, especially in India, where diabetes and hypertension are widespread.

Key Facts

  • Global CKD cases have more than doubled, from 378 million in 1990 to 788 million in 2023, showing a rapidly growing health crisis.
  • A Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Programstudy found 3% of agricultural workers had CKD, with half of them suffering from CKD of unknown origin (CKDu) linked to heat and dehydration.

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rising in South Asia and now affects about 16% of the population, becoming a serious public health concern. India, which has over 1.4 billion people, faces one of the sharpest increases in CKD cases due to lifestyle, environmental, and social factors.

Health experts warn that diabetes, high blood pressure, pollution, and toxic chemicals are causing serious kidney problems. Added to this are lifestyle habits such as consumption of salty and sugary processed foods, physical inactivity, and disrupted sleep patterns caused by stress and excessive screen time.

CKD often progresses silently, with patients showing no symptoms until their kidneys are severely damaged. Globally, the number of people living with kidney disease has more than doubled from 378 million in 1990 to 788 million in 2023, indicating a fast-growing crisis.

Treatment options are still limited. Dialysis costs a lot and is hard for people in rural areas to access, and organ shortages make kidney transplants difficult. However, medical professionals stress that early testing is easy and cheap, and modern medicines can slow down the disease.

Recent research under the Tamil Nadu Health System Reform Program found that 5.3% of agricultural workers had CKD. Half of these cases were CKD of unknown origin (CKDu), which may be caused by dehydration and heat exposure during outdoor work.

Public health experts are urging the government to take action to lower diabetes and hypertension and to promote early screening. They say people must eat better, have access to clean water, and learn more about health to prevent these diseases.

Experts add that a healthier population must form the foundation for India’s future growth and development.