Dr Pankaj Hans at the news meet in Patna on Wednesday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Residents were enlightened on how nausea or dehydration caused from diarrhoea could damage one’s kidney if proper treatment is not done.

According to experts, during nausea or vomiting, excess pressure is created on the kidneys. Even excessive bleeding during delivery can also cause acute kidney injury. Dr Pankaj Hans, assistant professor of the medicine department of Patna Medical College, told the audience of these facts at a city hotel on the eve of World Kidney Day on Wednesday.

Hans, who is also a consultant nephrologist at Ruban Memorial Hospital, said people often take nausea and diarrhoea very lightly but these ailments should not be ignored as these might damage the kidneys.

“Those suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and those who smoke need to be more careful. During diarrhoea, one needs to take oral rehydration solution from time to time,” said Hans.

He added that in most of the cases, kidney patients’ problems are diagnosed very late.

“Most of them consult a physician, who continues to treat them without having knowledge of the actual disorder. Physicians refer kidney patients to nephrologists very late. There should be an early diagnosis programme for the detection of kidney related disorders. Even in school health programmes, only the height and weight of the body is measured. The need of the hour is to read the blood pressure of children. The state government has to take an initiative in this regard,” said the doctor.

He added: “The number of kidney patients in the state is on a par with the national average. One person out of every six is suffering from kidney disorder in this country and the same situation prevails in the state.”

He also pointed out the lack of necessary machines in the dialysis units in the state. “Many new dialysis centres have opened in the state but not all are properly equipped. There are dialysis centres in Purnea, Ara, Muzaffarpur and other places, which are running with one dialysis machine. For kidney patients there are different kinds of dialysis machines to be used according to his/her condition. The state government should regulate the dialysis centres. This would keep a tab on ill-practices,” said Hans.

He added that a person whose kidney has been damaged should be kept on dialysis for at least four hours.

“There are dialysis centres in the state which are not doing a proper dialysis of kidney patients. The units are keeping them on dialysis for less than four hours, which is not good for the patients,” he said.