Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is rapidly emerging as a major public-health crisis in India, with experts warning that the condition is spreading at an alarming pace across age groups. Once considered a disease limited to the elderly or affluent, CKD is now strongly linked to lifestyle disorders such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Nephrologist Dr H. Sudarshan Ballal cautioned that if current trends continue, CKD could soon reach the level of a nationwide epidemic. He said nearly 2 lakh Indians develop severe kidney failure each year, while ten times more struggle with early or moderate kidney disease. Despite this massive burden, only about 25% of patients receive proper treatment.
Dr Ballal recalled that when he returned to India in 1991, the country had only 800 nephrologists, with more Indian specialists practicing in the US than in India. Although the number of doctors and dialysis facilities has increased significantly, the gap remains large.
Patients who reach end-stage kidney disease often have only two options — dialysis or transplant — both of which remain unaffordable for many families. Dr Ballal stressed urgent improvements in access, awareness, and preventive care to control the growing threat.
