Two million Australians could face chronic kidney disease

Kidney Health Australia (KHA) has warned Australia is losing the kidney disease battle, with deaths from kidney failure having doubled in the past 20 years.

KHA states there is an urgent need to review and upgrade the previous Federal Government policies on national early detection programs.

The organisation said Australia is urgently in need of an early detection program as approximately one in three Australian adults are at risk of developing chronic kidney disease, which is the 7th most common cause of death exceeding diabetes, respiratory disease and suicide.

Anne Wilson, chief executive officer of KHAustralia said “over 40 people die each and every day from kidney failure in Australia”.

Apart from the human suffering involved, a report on the Economic Impact of End-Stage Kidney Disease in Australia by the George Institute for International Health commissioned by Kidney Health Australia said the cost of treating kidney disease in Australia would jump from $700 million to $900 million by 2010.

This will provide a major challenge for the Federal and State Governments to maintain patient services in the face of an ageing population and other chronic diseases such as diabetes which acts as a trigger for chronic kidney disease.