Josefa Sigavolavola 
Kidney disease remains one of the country’s serious but often overlooked health issue with many people unaware they have the condition until it reaches its lethal stage.
Health experts have warned that late detection makes treatment more difficult and costly. The disease is often called a “silent killer”.
Dr Abhitesh Raj, a kidney specialist at Colonial War Memorial Hospital highlights that kidney disease is a silent condition because it develops without clear noticeable symptoms.
“And we find that a lot of people come to us when they have end-stage kidney disease, which means the kidney function is below 15 percent, and that’s when they have a blood test or a kidney check and that’s when they find out that they’ve lost most of their kidney function.”
The disease is closely linked to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure and Dr Raj explained that unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and limited routine health screenings contribute to the increasing number of cases.
“And in that situation, it’s very hard to provide them with treatment that will help their kidneys. The treatment option then is dialysis and a kidney transplant, which is a very expensive treatment and difficult for most patients.”
Additionally, an Australian nephrologist Dr. Anis Ta’eed stressed that early detection is critical.
“Certain medicines are widely available on our Fiji essential drug list in the pharmacies, in the community, which are proven to significantly help kidney disease.”
Health experts are urging Fijians to get regular kidney check-ups, maintain healthier lifestyles, and manage risks associated with non-communicable diseases to prevent the silent progression of kidney disease.
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