Singapore Rising Renal Failure Cases

NKF urges people to go for kidney screening amid rising number of renal failure cases.

Singapore has one of the world's highest incidence of kidney failure, with about 6 new patients being diagnosed with kidney failure every day

More than 300,000 people here suffer from chronic kidney disease, but the organisation warned that there could be even more undetected cases. Around six people are diagnosed with kidney failure each day, a threefold increase from two decades ago. 

The increase in numbers “causes major concern", NKF chief executive officer Tim Oei said, adding that kidney disease numbers will increase proportionately with diabetes numbers.

IMPORTANCE OF SCREENING 

The organisation is urging more to come forward for screening, especially high-risk groups such as those with diabetes, amid a rise in renal failure cases and an ageing population. 

Screening can catch kidney disease at an early stage before the organ fails. 

The disease worsens progressively, with the kidney shrinking in size and losing its ability to filter out waste product from a patient’s blood. At the final stage, the patient would require lifetime dialysis or a kidney transplant. 

"Many times, people don't realise the signs and symptoms of renal failure until it is too late," said Mr Oei.

"And this is where they need to be educated, and awareness be made to them, that early detection will help arrest or even severely delay the consequence of end stage renal disease."

NKF also hopes to work with the government to make kidney checks a mainstay in the national screening programme, Screen for Life, he said. 

The programme’s emphasis is on hypertension and diabetes, and some cancers, said Mr Oei. 

"Renal (disease) is very close to diabetes and hypertension. If you are checking those two, it's just one more that you can do a test on, because it's connected to the other two major chronic illnesses," he said. 

In the meantime, NKF will work closely with hospitals and family physicians to raise awareness on kidney screening. 

DEALING WITH MORE CASES 

As the number of kidney failure patients here rises, existing dialysis premises are being upgraded to accommodate them.

Learn how you can prevent kidney failure through the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Outreach Programme click here