SAMBALPUR: Even as World Kidney Day was observed across the globe on Thursday, the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is assuming alarming proportion in Western Odisha. The disease, which was earlier confined to specific pockets, is fast spreading its tentacles to different districts of the region. The health administration seems clueless about the reasons of the spread.
In 2010, a team from VSSMCH had visited Pandikipali village in Kolabira block of Jharsuguda district where 14 deaths were reported due to CKD. But the doctors could not ascertain the cause of the disease. Since then, reports of the disease continue to come in from other districts of the region.
Earlier, CKD was confined to Nuapada district where the fluoride level in ground water is much higher than the permissible limit. While the disease claimed 18 lives in Podabalanda and Kuhi villages under Rairakhol NAC recently, reports of villagers undergoing treatment have been received from Debadihi in Jharsuguda district after eight people lost their lives.
Similar reports have been received from Adendungri village in Balangir district. Sources said the disease has claimed eight lives in Dhaunradadar and Rampur villages. In Balda village under Bongomunda block, seven persons have died due to chronic renal failure (CRF) during the last two years.
Similarly, 10 persons are suffering from CKD in Dhalpur panchayat under Harbhanga block of Boudh district.
Head of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation Centre, SCBMCH, Prof Chittaranjan Kar attributed it to multiple factors including diabetes, blood pressure, consuming drugs without medical prescription, consumption of spurious liquor, contaminated food and water. More dialysis centre should be set up in the State besides promotion of cadaveric transplantation undertaken to check the disease, he said.