Kidney disease can be diagnosed without being serious. If it is not detected in time and treatment is not possible, this disease can lead to 'kidney failure' in the long run. Which can lead to complications as well as premature death. Today, March 13, Kidney Day is being celebrated with various programs around the world with the slogan 'Know about kidney health in time, save kidneys'.

1 in every 10 people worldwide has chronic kidney disease. In South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc., the risk of chronic kidney disease is also higher due to increasing diabetes and high blood pressure.

It is estimated that 10 percent of the world's population, i.e. more than 850 million people, have chronic kidney disease. This disease, which is especially common in the elderly and those with diabetes, is gradually becoming more and more prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. 

It's around 2008, according to a study report of the World Health Organization, in a developing country like Nepal, more than 90 percent of people with kidney failure died within a few months. At that time, there were no kidney transplant facilities in Nepal and dialysis services were very scarce. The status of going to a neighboring country for a kidney transplant was beyond the reach of Nepalese, and it was almost impossible to get access to the limited dialysis services available. It was not possible to bear the cost of 40,000 to 50,000 dialysis per month, even if I got a little turn.

At the end of 2008, with the start of kidney transplants from Veer Hospital and Tervi Teaching Hospital, the hope of survival for kidney patients began to grow. In 2013, as a decision of the Ministry of Health and Population of the Government of Nepal to open a separate specialized hospital for the treatment of various organ failures, the Martyrs' National Transplantation Center was established. This also became the basis for expanding dialysis and kidney transplantation throughout the country. 

During the expansion of dialysis in different parts of the country, the center established dialysis services by providing its own machines and manpower in the government hospitals of Janakpur in the east and Dhangadhi in the west. After that, it helped the government to purchase dialysis machines and played an important role in service expansion by training more than 1000 nurses, doctors and other technicians.

Today, dialysis services have expanded to more than 100 centers across the country and it has become possible to save the lives of about 8,000 kidney failure patients by undergoing regular dialysis. In this way, the government of Nepal has done an exemplary job of saving the lives of the countrymen by providing free kidney treatment services. 

Serious gender disparities have been found in organ donation and transplantation. When Rowekar transplanted the first kidney of 99 people at Veer Hospital, 90 percent of the donors were women and 90 percent of the recipients were men. This level of sexual exploitation is rare in other areas. To minimize this, it is necessary to provide financial support to male organ donors, conduct various public awareness programs that women and men have equal status in the existence of society.

Our transplant regulations stipulate that 3 times more organs are given to women than to men in kidney distribution from brain dead donors. Recently, there has been some reduction in gender discrimination in organ donation and transplantation. Looking at the data so far at the center, 79 percent of kidney transplant recipients are male and 21 percent are female.

Among kidney donors, 28 percent are men and 72 percent are women. There is no end to the world in which women are prioritized in the distribution of brain-dead kidneys. The Center has been continuously striving for such liberal laws and equal rights and rights in women's health and this can only be possible with everyone's support.  In the 12 years since the

center was established, 1,400 people have been transplanted with 99 percent success. Kidney transplant service is free with us. Up to 200 people are receiving this service at the center annually. Nepal is one of the most transplanted countries in the world. The annual demand for kidney transplants is about 3,000, but if we look at the availability, 70 percent (200 people) from the center and about 100 people from other hospitals reach only 300, which is a very low number.

Under the leadership of Shahid Dharmabhakta National Transplant Center, work is being done to expand kidney transplant services in seven provinces of the country. Under the leadership of the center, kidney transplants are underway in Pokhara in Gandaki and Surkhet in Karnali, while preparations are being made for kidney transplants in Nepalgunj in Lumbini, Dhangadhi in Far West, Hetounda and Bharatpur in Bagmati, Birgunj in Madhesh and Biratnagar in Koshi. 

The National Transplantation Center under the Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal, needs suitable land and its own building. It can be expected that the Transplantation Center will become fully capable if the Transplantation Health Sciences Academy is accredited to produce the manpower required by the country. In 2008, more than 90 percent of kidney failure patients died within a short period of time, while 98 percent of kidney transplant recipients and 93 percent of those on dialysis are alive at this center. This proves that kidney treatment has taken a leap in Nepal.

There are also certain measures of kidney treatment. For example, it is important to do regular physical exercise, keep the body fresh, abstain from food and keep the body weight under control. Similarly, do not smoke and drink alcohol, keep diabetes and high blood pressure under control and do not take antibiotics etc. without consulting a doctor. Even if we can get into the habit of drinking plenty of water, at least once a year to check whether the kidneys and other organs are healthy, we can avoid this disease to some extent. 

The National Transplantation Center is able to provide up to 5 times more dialysis and transplant services by building a building with 300 to 500 beds if it gets land. It is not that there is no tireless effort from the Ministry of Health, but why is it that the government leadership seems indifferent to the physical development of the institution. It is also important to find out what caused the obstruction.