Kidney Patients in India

Nationwide scientific estimation of number of patients of Chronic Kidney Diseases has not been carried out. However, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that roughly 5.5 lakh patients in the country will be requiring dialysis and / or kidney transplantation. But, State/UT-wise data is not available.

Government of India has taken the following steps to prevent and manage the chronic kidney diseases:

(i) Dialysis facility is available with the Central Government Hospitals like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. The cardio-vascular diseases and diabetes are the leading causes of chronic kidney diseases. National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio-vascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) has been launched by Government of India, which will help in reducing chronic renal diseases and incidences of renal failure.

(ii) In order to create health awareness among the population, Government of India has launched “Swasth Bharat Programme” which is being telecast on Doordarshan and All India Radio. Awareness on various Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including Chronic Kidney Diseases is being created through this programme.

(iii) Government of India is also giving support for strengthening / up-gradation of Medical Colleges / District Hospitals which includes services for chronic kidney diseases also.

To create awareness for organ and tissue donation among the stakeholders and general public, Indian Organ Donation Day is being celebrated in the month of November every year since the year 2010.

Regional “Organ Donation Awareness Workshops” were organized in coordination with State Governments during 2011-12 in the cities of Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Chandigarh and Thiruvananthapuram for increasing the awareness among the public for organ and tissue donation.

Government of India has enacted the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act, 2011 which contains various provisions for encouraging human organ donation including kidney donation and cadaver kidney donation.