The Turkey theme of World Kidney Day 2024, which is handled with a different theme every year and brought to the agenda in all countries with various events in order to draw attention to kidney health in the world, was "One Day a Year". TBV volunteers, experts and TBV president Timur Erk called for a "Regular Check Once a Year" in Bakırköy, accompanied by TBV's mascot roosters.
“IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RECOGNIZE THE FIRST 3 STAGES OF CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE, BUT WE CAN DETECT IT IN THE 4TH STAGE.”
Speaking at the event, TBV President Timur Erk said; “We are together for World Kidney Day, which is celebrated every year in 80 countries, including Turkey. Our announcement for World Kidney Day this year is to definitely go to the doctor once a year. Today, more than 1 million people in the world receive dialysis treatment to survive. Approximately 2% of these patients require a kidney transplant per year. It is necessary to take precautions in order to say "stop" to chronic kidney disease, which progresses insidiously without symptoms, and the first step of the precaution is a doctor's check-up once a year. In chronic kidney failure, which is discussed in 15 stages, it is impossible to see and realize the first 5 stages. Therefore, we can catch it at the 3th level. For this reason, routine checks are very important. For this reason, the preventive medicine that we, as TBV, have been doing for 4 years is a very important factor,” he said.
“KIDNEY DISEASES TREATMENT IS A HEAVY BURDEN ON BOTH THE PATIENT, THE PATIENT'S RELATIVES AND THE HEALTH BUDGET”
TBV President Timur Erk underlined that the treatment of people with kidney diseases and kidney failure brings a heavy financial burden to the health budgets, in addition to the burden it brings to the patient and his/her relatives; “The annual cost per patient for hemodialysis stands out as $88.195 in the USA, $58.812 in Germany, $83.616 in Belgium and $70.928 in France. The cost of a hemodialysis patient to the public budget in Turkey is approximately 22 thousand dollars. As of today, there are 63 thousand end-stage chronic renal failure patients in our country. Considered from this perspective, Turkey is lucky because dialysis and organ transplant treatments are provided free of charge to all patients. In Europe, an estimated 100 million people live with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 300 million people are at risk. The incidence of chronic kidney disease is outpacing other more publicly recognized non-communicable diseases, largely due to an aging population and an increase in other risk factors such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. CKD is an incurable, long-term condition in which kidney function declines over time. "If chronic kidney disease is not detected early and managed appropriately, it becomes very expensive and burdensome for all stakeholders, including the patient, their relatives and healthcare professionals," he said.
