Concern over Sri Lanka kidney disease
05 Oct 2012
Incurable ailment linked to farming chemicals prompts calls for controls on pesticide use.
Kidney disease spreads tentacles
100,000 undetected patients – WHO
By Sugath P Kulathungarachchi
Sunday 21 October 2012
The increasing incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) which ravaged people in the Anuradhapura district has now started to affect the people of the Uva and Southern Provinces as well due to the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer.
Farmers in the Uva Province use pesticides and chemical fertilizer for banana plantations, sugarcane and vegitable cultivations.
Reasons for CKD revealed
Following extensive research carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO), the reasons behind the rapid spread of chronic kidney disease in the Anuradhapura district has now come to light.
According to WHO experts, they have determined that some of the reasons behind the rapid escalation of CKD have been the mixture of water with harmful toxins such as cadmium, mercury, arsenic and uranium, among other chemicals.
According to statistics compiled by the WHO, so far 22000 people have succumbed to this disease in Anuradhapura alone and the registered number of those suffering from the disease is 20,000 persons.
According to WHO sources there could be around a further 100,000 more patients afflicted with chronic kidney disease who have not been detected so far.
This disease which was first detected in Nikaweratiya, had then spread rapidly to other areas such as Polpithigama, Dehiattakandiya, Kekirawa, Dambulla and Girandurukotte.
H. Subasinghe, a sugarcane grower in the Kovulara village in the Moneragala district noted that he has been using pesticides and other chemical products to sustain his sugarcane plantation.
He also pointed out that lately, there has been a sizeable number of patients who have been reported from the Monaragala as being afflicted with the kidney disease.
He added that there has also been a sizeable number of patients who are reported to be suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Subasinghe is of the view that one of the reasons for the rapid spread of kidney disease is the generous use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer by farmers.
Compounded by other ailments
Medical officer, Thanamalwila Regional Hospital, Dr. Ajith Priyantha said that the number of patients afflicted with kidney disease has risen.
He noted that males between 40-45 years are mainly afflicted by this disease and in addition to that, there are cases of diabetes being reported as well.
Dr. Priyantha observed that youths between the ages of 25-30 have also shown a tendency to being diabetics.
“Several patients that I checked are already afflicted with diabetes. Even some of those who have come from other areas are also suffering from either diabetes or kidney disease. There are also various other cases such as those suffering from disabilities, and some having had abortions. The reason for such cases increasing is that they coming into contact with agri chemical products,” said Dr. Priyantha.
He is of the view that according to WHO statistics the prevalence of agri-chemical products and coming into contact with them regularly have greatly contributed to the rapid rise of diseases of the kidney, and diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Tests need to be done
A leading doctor of the Lunugamvehera area, Dr. Shashindi Wijewardene has also observed that of the patients visiting her clinic, there has been a steady rise of patients suffering from kidney disease.
She explained that one of the reasons for the escalating number of such cases has been people coming into contact with chemical products regularly, especially those from the farming community.
But she added that more tests need to be done to conclude without any doubt whether there could be a direct connection between those products and its users coming into contact with them, and thereby being afflicted with these diseases.
Now the latest ‘casualty’ has been certain areas in the South.
South too affected
District doctor of the Tissamaharama Base Hospital, Dr. M.N.H. Krishantha said that there has been an increase in the number patients being afflicted with kidney disease and diabetes in addition to high blood pressure.
He said that as Tissamaharama is a farming area where more agricultural products are being used they need to carry out more research and find out whether there could be any connection between the increasing patients who are afflicted with various illnesses and the use of chemical products for agriculture.
05 Oct 2012Incurable ailment linked to farming chemicals prompts calls for controls on pesticide use.
| Thousands of Sri Lankans suffer from an incurable kidney disease that researchers have linked to chemicals used in modern agriculture. Unlike other kidney conditions, Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology or CKDu has baffled the medical community. Now the World Health Organisation is calling for better controls on the use of pesticides and fertilisers in Sri Lanka. Al Jazeera's Minelle Fernandez reports from Anuradhapura.   |
Kidney disease spreads tentacles
100,000 undetected patients – WHO
By Sugath P KulathungarachchiSunday 21 October 2012
The increasing incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) which ravaged people in the Anuradhapura district has now started to affect the people of the Uva and Southern Provinces as well due to the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer.
Farmers in the Uva Province use pesticides and chemical fertilizer for banana plantations, sugarcane and vegitable cultivations.
Reasons for CKD revealed
Following extensive research carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO), the reasons behind the rapid spread of chronic kidney disease in the Anuradhapura district has now come to light.
According to WHO experts, they have determined that some of the reasons behind the rapid escalation of CKD have been the mixture of water with harmful toxins such as cadmium, mercury, arsenic and uranium, among other chemicals.
According to statistics compiled by the WHO, so far 22000 people have succumbed to this disease in Anuradhapura alone and the registered number of those suffering from the disease is 20,000 persons.
According to WHO sources there could be around a further 100,000 more patients afflicted with chronic kidney disease who have not been detected so far.
This disease which was first detected in Nikaweratiya, had then spread rapidly to other areas such as Polpithigama, Dehiattakandiya, Kekirawa, Dambulla and Girandurukotte.
H. Subasinghe, a sugarcane grower in the Kovulara village in the Moneragala district noted that he has been using pesticides and other chemical products to sustain his sugarcane plantation.
He also pointed out that lately, there has been a sizeable number of patients who have been reported from the Monaragala as being afflicted with the kidney disease.
He added that there has also been a sizeable number of patients who are reported to be suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Subasinghe is of the view that one of the reasons for the rapid spread of kidney disease is the generous use of pesticides and chemical fertilizer by farmers.
Compounded by other ailments
Medical officer, Thanamalwila Regional Hospital, Dr. Ajith Priyantha said that the number of patients afflicted with kidney disease has risen.
He noted that males between 40-45 years are mainly afflicted by this disease and in addition to that, there are cases of diabetes being reported as well.
Dr. Priyantha observed that youths between the ages of 25-30 have also shown a tendency to being diabetics.
“Several patients that I checked are already afflicted with diabetes. Even some of those who have come from other areas are also suffering from either diabetes or kidney disease. There are also various other cases such as those suffering from disabilities, and some having had abortions. The reason for such cases increasing is that they coming into contact with agri chemical products,” said Dr. Priyantha.
He is of the view that according to WHO statistics the prevalence of agri-chemical products and coming into contact with them regularly have greatly contributed to the rapid rise of diseases of the kidney, and diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks.
Tests need to be done
A leading doctor of the Lunugamvehera area, Dr. Shashindi Wijewardene has also observed that of the patients visiting her clinic, there has been a steady rise of patients suffering from kidney disease.
She explained that one of the reasons for the escalating number of such cases has been people coming into contact with chemical products regularly, especially those from the farming community.
But she added that more tests need to be done to conclude without any doubt whether there could be a direct connection between those products and its users coming into contact with them, and thereby being afflicted with these diseases.Now the latest ‘casualty’ has been certain areas in the South.South too affected
District doctor of the Tissamaharama Base Hospital, Dr. M.N.H. Krishantha said that there has been an increase in the number patients being afflicted with kidney disease and diabetes in addition to high blood pressure.
He said that as Tissamaharama is a farming area where more agricultural products are being used they need to carry out more research and find out whether there could be any connection between the increasing patients who are afflicted with various illnesses and the use of chemical products for agriculture.
