Ibbagamuwa Medical Officer of Health (MOH) G. P. Abeykoon said the number of chronic kidney disease patients in Kurunegala was decreasing significantly.
This is as a result of the comprehensive programmes implemented by the government to prevent the spread of kidney diseases.
The MOH was addressing a workshop at the Sastraravinda Pirivena, Gokarella to make people aware of the prevention of kidney diseases.
The workshop was organized under the Pura Neguma project of the Provincial Councils and Local Government Ministry.
The Health Officer said unlike with many other diseases, kidney disease often has no symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage.
“Consuming contaminated water containing heavy metals such as cadmium and arsenic, chronic exposure to drugs, occupational hazards, dehydration, modern diet, extreme working conditions, cooking in aluminum wares etc. have been postulated as contributing factors to the disease which is now showing increasingly among the younger generation.
“The majority of the victims are male farmers aged 40 to 60. The illness has a direct impact on patients’ daily lives including their livelihood activities. As the disease advances, patients become too ill to continue in gainful employment affecting the whole family,” he said.
“Polpithigama, Maho, Nikaweratiya, Galgamuwa, Kotawehera and Giribawa DS divisions have been identified as disease-prone areas. But now a few cases have been reported from the Ibbagamuwa DS division too, he added.
Meanwhile, arrangements are being made by the Water Supply and Drainage Board to supply drinking water to 2,000 families in the Ibbagamuwa DS division under Pura Neguma project. Laying pipelines had already been completed. “We hope to supply water before the end of April,” Kasup Bandara, the Engineering Consultant of the project who attended the workshop said.