CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC—St. Lucia will join the international community on Thursday in observing World Kidney Day (WKD). Health officials here expressed concern at the high number of people living with end-stage renal failure and on dialysis.
“…as of February 2024, 187 people were living with end-stage renal failure and on dialysis. It is important that our health systems make every effort to meet the health care needs of people living with and affected by kidney failure,” the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs said in a statement.
“WKD provides a global platform to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems,” it added.
The ministry said that the high burden of kidney disease, global disparities in kidney care, and poor outcomes of kidney failure bring a growing burden of care for affected individuals, their families, caregivers, and the community as a whole.
It said to date, over 850 million people worldwide suffer from some form of kidney disease, which increases every year.
“This means that approximately one in 10 people are living with chronic kidney disease. This condition is the gradual loss of the kidney’s ability to perform essential functions and can be caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, and other risk factors.
The ministry said that one key strategy employed in St. Lucia was establishing the Nephrology Clinic to manage non-communicable diseases in March last year.
“In addition, the Ministry of Health seeks to encourage every St. Lucian to adopt healthy lifestyle practices such as increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables, decreasing their intake of salty foods, replacing sugary drinks with water, and exercising at least 30 minutes a day three to four times a week.
“Initiating these healthy lifestyle choices, early and consistently, can reduce your risk of developing kidney failure, along with other chronic health conditions,” it said, urging St. Lucians to use WKD to “unite to become a nation that embraces, builds healthy living and promotes environments to manage, uplift persons living with and prevent kidney disease.”
and then . Health officials here expressed){kind=link}