Awareness campaign on kidney failure

Time for awareness campaign on kidney failure

26 February 2014, The Straits Times

AFTER reading the reports ("No support, so no dialysis", Monday; and "Lofty sentiments are fine, but they won't save lives", last Friday), I would like to relate my own experience.

My nephew, who is in his early 40s, has kidney failure (both kidneys) and goes for dialysis every other day, with each session lasting four to five hours. After each session, I can see how exhausted he is.

It is the same with my colleague, a woman in her early 30s.

Both of them have family commitments and need to work to support their families.

Many people think kidney failure occurs only in the later stages of life. This is not true; there are many who suffer while in the prime of their lives.

If there is no living donor with a compatible kidney from his immediate family, a patient may have to wait for about seven to eight years for a cadaveric transplant - if he is lucky. Some do not make it past three to four years.

During the waiting period, the patient has to tolerate the pain and the drain on both his money and time.

Currently, there is no public awareness campaign on kidney failure and organ donation. I hope the relevant authorities can showcase the suffering a kidney failure patient has to go through, and appeal to the public to come forward to help.

Singapore has the fifth-highest rate of kidney failure in the world: There were 5,237 people here on dialysis at the end of 2012 ("High kidney failure rate"; Monday).

Each person has two kidneys but can survive on one. I appeal to all readers to consider donating a kidney to kidney failure patients.

Richard Chin Koon Fong

MOH's reply

Awareness and management of risk factors important in end stage renal failure

6 March 2014, The Straits Times

We refer to Mr Richard Chin’s letter (“Time for awareness campaign on kidney failure”, 26 February).
 
Like Mr Chin, we empathise with the plight of patients with kidney failure and their family members. We agree that greater efforts can be made to raise public awareness about end stage renal diseases (ESRD) and are heartened that voluntary welfare organisations, such as the National Kidney Foundation, have been engaging the public actively through preventive health programmes.
 
Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are the leading preventable causes of ESRD in Singapore. As such, the prevention, early detection and good management of these conditions are important to reduce the prevalence of kidney failure. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) encourages people to live a healthier lifestyle through regular physical activity, balanced diet, and staying smoke-free, which reduce the risk factors for diabetes and hypertension. For adults aged 40 years and above, screenings for diabetes and hypertension are available under HPB’s Integrated Screening Programme (ISP), at participating GP clinics. The recommended ISP tests are free, and the GP consultation is also subsidised for up to two visits a year, for Singaporeans who are on the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). HPB also has a Nurse Educator Programme, a chronic disease management programme which targets individuals with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, to equip them with the necessary skills to better manage their conditions, so as to delay or prevent the onset of complications such as ESRD.
 
Disease management programmes are also available at our healthcare institutions. For example, under the Nephrology Evaluation, Management and Optimisation (NEMO) programme, developed by the National University Hospital and National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP), available at all NHGP polyclinics, early screening and initiation of kidney-protective medications slowed down the progression of kidney damages in suitable diabetic patients.
 
The Ministry of Health has also initiated the “Live On” campaign (www.liveon.sg) since 2008 to raise public awareness about organ transplant. “Live On” is a social awareness movement that presents organ donation as an act that embraces potential donors, recipients and their respective families. For donors, it is an expression of the renewed life that a donor can bestow on someone else.  For the recipients, it is the expression of hope fulfilled and to the families of deceased donors, the possible comfort in their loss.
 
We will continue efforts in raising public awareness related to dialysis and organ donation.
 
Bey Mui Leng (Ms)
Director
Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health