Karnataka Health Minister Rao releases book on chronic kidney disease prevention

PTI, Oct 22, 2024, 8:32 AM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Health & Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday released a book that explores the critical factors driving the rise of kidney disease.

The book, which also reveals gaps in healthcare delivery, examines how government policies are shaping early interventions and high-risk management to combat this devastating, resource-draining condition, is authored by Vasundhara Raghavan, CEO of Kidney Warriors Foundation (KWF), a patient support group for those with kidney disease.

KWF has a network of 7,500 people from across India.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), according to the World Health Organisation, is expected to become the 5th leading cause of death globally by 2040, underscoring the urgent need for transformative changes in our healthcare system, especially at the grassroots level.

“When we see kidney patients, we certainly understand the need to improve their health in all ways. The Kidney Warriors Foundation’s work in connecting with patients is exemplary. Such support is the need of the hour. My best wishes for more success in their work,” said Rao at the launch event.

Raghavan said the public must recognise the urgent need to restructure the country’s healthcare system to accommodate the exponential growth in the number of kidney disease patients and address the full spectrum of an individual’s healthcare needs.

“In India, where private insurance is limited and public insurance benefits only a selected population, it has become imperative to join forces and ensure strategic planning to address the needs of people with kidney disease. This is the message to stakeholders conveyed through ‘The Kidney Warriors (Edition 2)’,” she added.

According to her, the book encourages people to adopt preventive measures through proper management of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

In the foreword of the book, Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, said the book traces the lives of over 50 patients and the medical challenges they face while battling kidney disease.

“Real life stories of people dealing with the disease, makes it a rich learning experience. Such initiatives in the area of prevention of progression in non-communicable disease will enable us to achieve better disease outcomes for the population. There needs to be far greater effort towards prevention than living life with chronic disease,” he wrote in his foreword.

The book is available on Amazon and other ecommerce platforms.