By far the most common cause of kidney disease in Fiji is diabetes.

Nephrology specialist Dr Anis Ta’eed says kidney disease is a major problem worldwide and it is increasingly becoming more and more recognized.

Dr Ta’eed says the second most common cause is high blood pressure adding that the combined results is in the vast majority of those who have kidney disease.

“The best statistics that they have estimates that the national prevalence in Fiji is somewhere between 13-14 percent of the general population have some degree of kidney disease but 90 percent of people within the public are unaware of having kidney disease, because the disease doesn’t result in any symptoms until at a very late stage.”

Dr Ta’eed says a lot of the work that they do in terms of preventing kidney disease from progressing is ensuring that their blood pressure and diabetes is well controlled and a strong emphasis is placed on dietary intervention.

He adds that at the Fiji National Kidney Centre, patients are also working with dieticians.