Speakers at a roundtable discussion on Saturday stressed the need to have emergency response plans of the hospitals with coordinated support to address needs of urgent treatment of patients including critical kidney patients during the period of unwanted disasters.
They also stressed the need to adopt integrated health strategies that prioritize prevention, early detection, and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including kidney disease, said a press release.
Voluntary organisation Kidney Awareness, Monitoring and Prevention Society (KAMPS) organised the roundtable discussion as part of its series of programs in observance of the World Kidney Day-2023.
This year the day will be observed on March 9 (Thursday).
They pointed out that the health care services should provide equitable and proper access to care for chronic patients in times of emergency.
Founder and Chairman of KAMPS Prof. Dr. MA Samad moderated the roundtable, who also made a power presentation on the theme of the current year’s world kidney day.
Eminent Nephrologist and Chairman of Kidney Foundation, Prof. Dr. Harunur Rashid said kidney disease is a silent disaster because this disease does not show any symptoms until it gets about 80 percent damaged, so early detection is the biggest need to follow.
Architect Iqbal Habid, general Secretary of BAPA strongly suggested making sufficient investment on awareness raising programs in a bid to prevent fearsome things like kidney disease or staying in a building which is not earthquake resistant.
Director General of the Department of Disaster management, Md. Mijanur Rahman mentioned that the recent disaster in Turkey and Syria has posed a warning for the rest of the world to be aware of right now.
He said the government is already aware and planning all the needs which are possible in managing all sorts of disasters.
Shedding light on the overall scenario of Kidney diseases in the country including its reasons, treatment and consequences, Prof. Samad said that every possible effort should be made to ensure the right to treatment of kidney patients all over the country irrespective of rich and poor or disadvantaged groups.
He said that the governments should include emergency preparedness plans in the management and detection of NCDs and favor the prevention of these conditions.
Dr MA Samad, also the Head of the Department of Kidney at Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital in his presentation stressed need for widespread awareness among people to prevent the kidney diseases referring that the treatment of this disease is critical and it’s cost is excessively high that is not possible to bear for lower income segment of people.
Rezwan Salehin, Executive Director of the KAMPS offered vote of thanks while Mijanur Rahman, Director General, Department of Disaster Management, Brig. Gen. (Retd) Engr. Ali Ahmed Khan, former Director General, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Prof. Dr. Harisul Huq, Professor of the Department of Cardiology, BSMMU addressed the roundtable discussion among others.