WHO help sought to identify mystery kidney disease
by Don Asoka Wijewardena- The Island lk 07-05-08
The entire population in the North-Central, North- Western and Uva Provinces has been placed under strict medical scrutiny following a sharp increase in kidney related diseases. A team of medical experts from the World Health Organisation arrives in Sri Lanka today to assist in investigations and research to ascertain the root causes of the mysterious renal related ailments, the Health Ministry said.
Healthcare Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told The Island that in the Wilachchiya, Thanthrimale, Padaviya, Horowpathana and Medawachchiya areas of the Anuradhapura district, Nikawaratiya in North-Western Province and Dehiatthakandiya in the Eastern province, a large number of people were found to be suffering from a serious kidney related diseases leaving local medics nonplussed.
He said there were about 3,000 victims of kidney disease in the in the Medawatchchiya area and island-wide around 6,000 patients were under treatment. The sudden increase in renal patients had baffled the doctors.
Minister de Silva said that he had no alternative but to request the WHO to send a team of medical experts to Sri Lanka in order to ascertain the cause of the disease and conduct comprehensive research on it before the entire country is affected.
The WHO medical team would comprise a Sri Lankan Consultant Dr. Ms. Shanthi Mendis, South East Asia Regional Adviser Dr. Habib Faiyed and United Kingdom Nephrologist Dr. A. Paulter.
He said that the experts were consultants attached to the WHO Renal Disease Department in Geneva and would carry out thorough investigations along with 100 Sri Lankan medical experts.
The Sri Lankan medical experts were of the view that cooking with aluminium pots and pans, high fluoride content in drinking water, water contaminated with agro-chemicals and consuming illicit liquor brewed by using cement and agro-chemicals had caused the kidney diseases but it was a provincial diagnosis and the WHO medical team with the assistance of Sri Lankan doctors would seek a more complete diagnosis.
Healthcare Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told The Island that in the Wilachchiya, Thanthrimale, Padaviya, Horowpathana and Medawachchiya areas of the Anuradhapura district, Nikawaratiya in North-Western Province and Dehiatthakandiya in the Eastern province, a large number of people were found to be suffering from a serious kidney related diseases leaving local medics nonplussed.
He said there were about 3,000 victims of kidney disease in the in the Medawatchchiya area and island-wide around 6,000 patients were under treatment. The sudden increase in renal patients had baffled the doctors.
Minister de Silva said that he had no alternative but to request the WHO to send a team of medical experts to Sri Lanka in order to ascertain the cause of the disease and conduct comprehensive research on it before the entire country is affected.
The WHO medical team would comprise a Sri Lankan Consultant Dr. Ms. Shanthi Mendis, South East Asia Regional Adviser Dr. Habib Faiyed and United Kingdom Nephrologist Dr. A. Paulter.
He said that the experts were consultants attached to the WHO Renal Disease Department in Geneva and would carry out thorough investigations along with 100 Sri Lankan medical experts.
The Sri Lankan medical experts were of the view that cooking with aluminium pots and pans, high fluoride content in drinking water, water contaminated with agro-chemicals and consuming illicit liquor brewed by using cement and agro-chemicals had caused the kidney diseases but it was a provincial diagnosis and the WHO medical team with the assistance of Sri Lankan doctors would seek a more complete diagnosis.
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