18/03/2008

Kidney Health Australia Backs Brumby Government on Chronic Disease

Kidney Health Australia has urged all State Governments to follow Victoria's preventative health strategy and screen workers for chronic disease.

The cost of treating kidney disease in Australia is rising by $50 million a year and will jump from $700 million in 2006 to $900 million in 2010 - The Economic Impact of Kidney Disease in Australia, report was undertaken by the George Institute of International Health eighteen months ago.

Anne Wilson CEO of Kidney Health Australia, which has just completed Australia's first national program of screening for Chronic Kidney Disease, said the $600 million move by the Brumby Government to screen workers for chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease and stroke should be replicated around Australia and is a lead for other nations in tackling chronic disease.

Ms Wilson said, "obesity considerably increased the risk of Chronic Kidney Disease, which affects one in three Australians, is associated with forty deaths a day and is causing the national health budget to blow out at $1 million a week just to cover new dialysis costs."

Recently Professor Allan Collins, the Director and Principal Investigator for the U.S. Renal Data System Co-coordinating Center, President of the National Kidney Foundation US and Director of the International Federation of Kidney Foundations said every year millions die prematurely of heart attacks and strokes linked to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

"CKD is often referred to as the "silent killer" as 80 -90% of kidney function can be lost before an individual experiences any symptoms. Yet the level of awareness of CKD amongst the general public and health professionals is low and many risk factors of CKD are modifiable."

"There are NO WARNING SIGNS which means it is vital that Governments' Australia wide develop programs for the screening of patients in high risk categories as part of their public health planning and strategies as is proposed in Victoria."

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a significant and growing public health problem, responsible for substantial burden of illness and premature mortality. It is also set to add substantial costs to the nation's and Victoria's health budget.

"This provides a major economic reason for early detection of Kidney Disease to be included in any public screening program," Ms Wilson said.

www.kidney.org.au

Media Enquiries:
Anne Wilson, CEO Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0400 165 391
Ron Smith Media Communications Kidney Health Australia Mobile: 0417 329 201