“To avoid dialysis, one must maintain a healthy lifestyle, regularly do check-ups, proper diet and exercise,” said Central Luzon Organ Sharing Effort (CLOSE) Head Dr. Joy Mallari who is also the visiting consultant of JBL Hospital, V.L. Makabali and Angeles University Foundation Medical Center (AUFMC) during a press conference held at the Philippine Information Agency Regional Office in line with the celebration of National Kidney Month last June.

“We all know that having a dialysis is costly, it usually ranges from P30,000 to 50,000 a month, and to prevent this, one should do physical activities,” Mallari explained.

Mallari added that “when we say dialysis, this would be our last resource for us to be alive. In our part, we are labeling or branding the patient that their kidneys only have 10 to 15 percent that is working, so in able to replace the kidney which is not working, dialysis is being done.”

Mallari said a person who undergoes such treatment has an approximate of two to three years that he will be alive.

“Another way to take care of our kidney is one must look into nutrition facts or caloric index when buying processed foods in a store, stop smoking, maintain a healthy diet, exercise and lessen the intake of alcohol,” Mallari concluded.

According to the Philippine Renal Disease Registry, there are 9,769 dialysis patients in the country, 1,212 of which are from Central Luzon. (CLJD/JGB-PIA3)

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SIX Bahrainis with kidney problems have suffered serious complications after undergoing transplant surgeries this year, sparking a warning for people to avoid treatment abroad.

Health officials say the overseas transplant industry poses a threat to the lives of patients as it has become "commercialised" with increasing numbers of illegal organs being traded.

It follows the death of a 50-year-old Bahraini man last month after receiving treatment for renal failure abroad.

"We have found six patients who underwent kidney transplant abroad and returned with complications," said Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) consultant vascular and renal transplant surgeon Dr Sadiq Abdulla.

"Illegal organ trade increases the cost of kidney transplant from BD25,000 to BD40,000.

"We strongly urge patients to stop travelling abroad immediately for kidney transplant as in Bahrain there are qualified transplant teams equipped with all the facilities to conduct surgeries."

According to officials, several Bahrainis travel to the Philippines, Egypt and other countries for organ transplants, with many becoming infected after the operations as the facilities are not up to international standards.

Some patients would also return to Bahrain after treatment with inaccurate medical records, said Dr Abdulla in a statement yesterday.

"We have donors available and all the facilities to conduct successful transplant in Bahrain," he added.

"It is dangerous that these patients purchase organs and end up with complications, including severe infections."

According to the latest figures, there are an estimated 500 patients suffering from renal failure in Bahrain and the SMC's Yusuf Khalil Almoayyed Nephrology and Kidney Transplant Centre is capable of conducting 30 surgeries annually.

The centre plans to conduct 18 transplants this year following two successful surgeries last week for Bahraini patients, who are said to be in good condition.

In the first case, Hassan Suleiman donated a kidney to his brother Ahmed, 39, who had been undergoing dialysis since 2007, while Zainab Maki, 38, donated the organ to her brother Salman.

Three other surgeries will be performed by SMC doctors in the coming weeks, added Dr Abdulla.

The GDN reported last year that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia agreed to promote organ transplants and planned to activate a GCC programme, involving particularly clinically brain dead patients.

Under the process, Bahrainis and hospitals would be urged to report cases of clinically brain dead patients and prepare relatives to ensure early donation.

Patients suffering from renal failure are referred to SMC and BDF Hospital, which both provide free treatment for Bahrainis.

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Central Luzon Organ Sharing Effort (CLOSE) head Joy Mallari said this during Thursday's press conference at the Philippine Information Agency Regional Office III.

She said Pampanga topped the list in the region with 434; followed by Bulacan, 202; Nueva Ecija, 178; Tarlac, 140; Bataan,100; Zambales, 81; and Aurora with one.

Most of the patients were male at 607; females numbered at 529.

On the age bracket, the 51-to-60 bracket topped with 282 patients, followed by 61-70 with 262, and the 71-80 at 166 patients.

“And 37 patients were kidney transplanted in Region 3 alone,” Mallari added.

With this, Mallari advised the public to prevent dialysis, "one must maintain a healthy diet, exercise, lessen the intake of alcohol, and do regular check-ups.”

Central Luzon has a total of 65 dialysis centers and two transplant centers which are Angeles University Foundation Medical Center located in Pampanga and Jecsons Medical Center in Tarlac.

PRDR is a joint three-year project of National Kidney and Transplant Institute - Renal Disease Control Program and the Philippine Society of Nephrology, which started in May 2000.

The objective of the research is to provide a national perspective of kidney disease and its treatment. (CLJD/JGB-PIA3)

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, July 1 (PIA) -- Latest figures from the Philippine Renal Disease Registry (PRDR) revealed that 1,136 out of the 9,769 dialysis patients nationwide are from Central Luzon.

Central Luzon Organ Sharing Effort (CLOSE) Head Joy Mallari bared during Thursday's press conference at the Philippine Information Agency Regional Office III that Pampanga topped the list in the region with 434; followed by Bulacan with 202, Nueva Ecija- 178, Tarlac-140, Bataan-100, Zambales-81, and Aurora with one.

Most of these patients are male with 607, comes female with 529.

On the age bracket list, ages 51-60 topped which has 282 patients; secondly, 61-70 with 262; and third, 71-80, 166.

“And 37 patients were kidney transplanted in Region 3 alone,” Mallari added.

With this, Mallari advised the public that in order to prevent dialysis "one must maintain a healthy diet, exercise, lessen the intake of alcohol, and do regular check-ups.”

Central Luzon has a total of 65 dialysis centers and two transplant centers which are AUFMC located in Pampanga and Jecsons Medical Center in Tarlac.

PRDR is a joint three-year project of National Kidney and Transplant Institute - Renal Disease Control Program (NKTI-REDCOP) and the Philippine Society of Nephrology (PSN), which started in May 2000.

The objective of the research is to provide a national perspective of kidney disease and its treatment.

It has two main divisions, the Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) Registry, composed of the Kidney Biopsy Registry and the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Registry, composed of the Hemodialysis and Kidney Transplant Registries. (CLJD/JGB-PIA3)

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