ILOILO City – Healthy habits make healthy kidneys, according to the Department of Health (DOH) as the country marks the National Kidney Month.
A 2019 data from the DOH Region 6 showed that the leading causes of chronic kidney diseases were complications brought by diabetes and hypertension.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) can be a contributor, too, but its percentage was much lower compared to the two, said John Richard Lapascua, senior health program officer of DOH-6.
Hypertension and UTI belonged to 2019’s top 10 leading causes of morbidity in Western Visayas, Lapascua told Panay News.
Hypertension was ranked third with 29,331 cases, followed by UTI with 28,181.
Kidney diseases have also led to mortality. The DOH-6 recorded 2,203 deaths due to renal diseases in 2019.
According to Lapascua, there were also individuals diagnosed with congenital kidney diseases but these, too, were very minimal.
The kidneys’ job is to filter blood and remove wastes and toxins from the body, Lapascua said.
“So it will make hard for our kidney mag-function sa pag-filter sang blood if ang patient has very high and uncontrolled blood sugar,” he stressed.
The health official encouraged the public not to wait for signs and symptoms of diabetes, hypertension or kidney failure before seeking medical assistance.
“Ang mga non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and kidney diseases very undetectable. That’s why if you are diabetic, congenital or genetic, ang maayo nga himuon magpa-check sang creatinine level regularly kay dira naga-umpisa ang pag-screen sang kidney health,” said Lapascua.
How to take care of your kidneys?
Build a healthy lifestyle. Eat nutritious food. Exercise regularly. Avoid smoking and alcoholic drinks.
Lapascua said these pieces of advice also go especially to the youth.
“Ang mga bata until tani magtigulang ma-practice sang healthy lifestyle… (With this), more likely nga indi sila mag-suffer sang kidney diseases,” he stressed./PN
