Renal disease fast spreading in the NCP
Nimal Wijesinghe - Anuradhapura Additional District
group corr.
Over 4,000 persons have been registered for treatment at the
Medawachchiya hospital clinical units for renal patients Minister of
Indigenous Medicine Tissa Karalliyedde said
The North Central Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake
with Petroleum Resources Minister Duminda Dissanayake, North
Central Provincial Council Minister H.B. Semasinghe, Dr.
Athula Kahadhaliyanage Secretary to the HealthCare Ministry
and former Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital Director Dr.
Sarath Weerabandara inspecting the progress of the
construction of the five storied kidney patients’ ward and
medical research complex in Anuradhapura. It is a joint
venture by the North Central PC and the Sri Lanka kidney
foundation.
Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional District group
correspondent |
Kebithigollewa, Padaviya, Medawachchiya, Welioya, Mihintale,
Hingururakgoda, Aralaganwila, Welikanda and Dimbulagala have been
identified as areas where the renal ailments are fast spreading.
President Mahindha Rajapaksa has gone to the extent of calling a team
of Medical experts and researchers from World Health Organisation (WHO)
to inquire in to the main cause for the spreading of renal diseases in
some particular areas mainly in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts
including Badulla and Monaragala.
The team after preliminary investigations instructed to encourage
people to take to clay kitchen utensils instead of the large scale usage
of cheap quality aluminium appliances as a reliable disease preventive
measure. The Indigenous Medicine Ministry has so far distributed clay
kitchen utensils worth nearly Rs. 20 million among 100,000 families
mostly in the North Central Province the Minister indicated.
North Central Province Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake said
a comprehensive renal disease prevention programme has been launched in
the province at a cost of Rs. 150 million mainly for the identification
of patients and providing them medical treatments.
There are over 5,000 patients in the NCP on treatment for chronic
kidney diseases. The etiology for the disease is still a mystery.
However NCP together with the Sri Lanka Kidney Foundation have
contributed for the construction of a five storied building in the
Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital complex to house a renal patients ward
complex and a well equipped Renal Disease Research Centre to conduct
productive research to find out a definite cure for the menace.
The Chief Minister said he has allocated Rs. 10 million in the
current year for the construction work.
In the meantime a team of researchers headed by Professor Janitha K.
Liyanage attached to the Chemistry Department of the Kelaniya University
and the Chairperson of the Environment Committee of the Sri Lanka
Institute for the Advancement of Science has been conducting a series of
chemical research relating to the quality of water consumed by people in
the disease spreading areas and the behavioural patterns of the renal
patients in the North Central Province.
The triggering factors of chronic kidney diseases, elements and ions
such as magnesium prosperous, fluoride, aluminium, manganese accumulated
in water in the affected areas are very high compared to the water
samples tested from a disease free zone.
Toxic metals have not known vital or beneficial effect on organisms
and their accumulation over a period of time in a human body can cause
serious illnesses like chronic kidney disease, said Professor Liyanage. |