KATHMANDU, MARCH 09

World Kidney Day was observed today, including in Nepal, with various programmes. The day is observed on the second Thursday of March each year.

At a programme organised here today, Lalitpur metropolis Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan stressed the need to increase public awareness to maintain healthy kidneys.

He said increased public awareness was necessary to encourage people to lead a healthy lifestyle and undergo health check-up from time to time to maintain sound health.

A friendship football match, organ donation camp, and kidney march were jointly organised by Shahid Dharmabhakta National Transplant Centre (Human Organ Transplant Centre) and the Organ Transplant Society Nepal. The celebration of the Day aims to promote public awareness to prevent kidney diseases.

According to doctors, one in every 10 people suffers from kidney disease.

Centre Director Dr Pukar Chandra Shrestha said kidney failure was becoming a serious public health problem, adding, 'The celebration of the day is expected to help promote the practice of healthy lifestyle among people and make the public aware of the significance of organ donation.' In addition to this, the day is valued as a means of ensuring patients' access to healthcare facilities.

Around 8.5 million kidney patients in the world are deprived of healthcare services due to natural disasters and other causes, according to Dr Shrestha. Centre consultant nephrologist Dr Kalpana Shrestha said they had recorded 1,026 cases of kidney transplant and nine cases of liver transplant in 10 years of its establishment.

During the organ donation camp held on the occasion of the World Kidney Day this year, five people registered their names for posthumous organ donation.

This year, the World Kidney Day was observed with the theme, 'Kidney Health for All - Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable'.

Organ donors, receivers, doctors, nurses, artists and social workers participated in the programme.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 10, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.