Latest news with #End-StageRenalDisease
News18
4 days ago
- Health
- News18
World Organ Donation Day: Understanding End-Stage Renal Disease And The Lifeline Of Kidney Transplant
The path forward lies in a three-pronged approach: prevention, early diagnosis, and improving transplant access End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) the final and most critical stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is emerging as a pressing public health challenge in India. At this stage, the kidneys lose nearly all function, making life-sustaining treatments like dialysis or kidney transplantation essential. According to Dr Tarun Singh, Consultant Urology and Renal Transplant, Sharda Care Healthcity, the numbers paint a sobering picture, 'Over 128 million Indians are estimated to be living with CKD, and 200,000–250,000 new ESRD cases are added each year. Diabetes and hypertension together account for nearly 70% of cases, with others linked to chronic infections, glomerulonephritis, or genetic disorders." Dr. Udit Gupta, Consultant Nephrologist and Renal Transplant Physician at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, echoes this concern, pointing out that lifestyle changes, urbanisation, and unhealthy diets are fuelling the surge: 'We are seeing more patients now presenting at Stage 5 than ever before. Early stages are often silent, which means many are diagnosed only when kidney function is severely compromised." The Silent Progression CKD advances through five stages from mild impairment to complete kidney failure. Dr. Singh explains that early stages often go unnoticed,'Sometimes, patients are diagnosed when over 70% of kidney function is already lost. At this point, dialysis or kidney transplantation becomes essential." Dialysis, whether hemodialysis or peritoneal, is a vital bridge for ESRD patients. However, both specialists emphasise that transplantation remains the gold standard. Dr. Gupta notes: 'A kidney transplant offers the best long-term survival and quality of life, enabling patients to return to work and daily activities more fully." Dr. Singh adds that advances in surgical techniques and immunosuppressive therapies have pushed one-year graft survival rates above 90% in many Indian centres a figure comparable to global benchmarks. The Transplant Gap Despite the clear benefits, there remains a huge disparity between the number of patients needing transplants and those receiving them. Dr. Singh highlights: 'While over 200,000 patients require a transplant annually, only around 10,000–12,000 are performed, with 85% from living donors. Deceased donor rates remain below 1 per million population." Most transplants in India rely on living donors, often family members. Dr. Gupta points out that expanding deceased donor programmes, encouraging paired kidney exchanges, and strengthening infrastructure could dramatically improve access for patients without a living match. Prevention as the First Line of Defence Both experts agree that prevention and early detection can reduce the burden of ESRD. Dr. Gupta advises regular screening for high-risk groups, especially people with diabetes and hypertension, along with lifestyle interventions: 'Controlling blood sugar and blood pressure, avoiding harmful medications, staying hydrated, and making healthy choices can significantly reduce risk." Dr. Singh adds that early screening and preventive care for at-risk populations could 'dramatically reduce progression to ESRD and the need for transplantation." Looking Ahead The path forward lies in a three-pronged approach: prevention, early diagnosis, and improving transplant access. Raising public awareness about organ donation, closing the gap between demand and availability, and building robust deceased donor programmes could transform kidney care in India. As Dr Gupta concludes, 'If we combine prevention, early detection, and wider transplant access, we can change the future of kidney health in India." First Published: August 13, 2025, 12:17 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Dialysis most availed of treatment under PMJAY
NEW DELHI: Dialysis has emerged as the most sought-after treatment under Ayushman Bharat-PM Jan Arogya Yojana. In the past six years since the central health scheme was launched, data shows more than 64 lakh patients have undergone the procedure. Tamil Nadu has carried out 7.3 lakh dialysis cycles, according to latest data uploaded by National Health Authority, implementing agency for AB-PMJAY, on its website. Madhya Pradesh is next at 5.4 lakh, followed by Uttar Pradesh (5L) and Gujarat (3.4L). ' Kidney failure is a chronic problem' Dialysis is provided free of cost to people under the scheme that offers an annual cover of Rs 5L a family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. Senior citizens are eligible for the scheme irrespective of their economic status. Every year, about 2.2 lakh new patients of End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) get added in India resulting in additional demand for 3.4 crore dialysis every year. The cost of dialysis varies, with a typical per-session cost ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000. 'Kidney failure is a chronic problem and patients suffering from the condition require undergoing dialysis twice weekly for survival. That's why the number of this procedure is so high,' Dr Shuchin Bajaj, founder director of Ujala Cygnus group of hospitals said. He added that diabetes is a leading cause of kidney failure and preventing or delaying its onset could help reduce risk of chronic kidney disease and, therefore, the need for dialysis. 'We also need to boost infrastructure and design policy to increase kidney transplants which can help such patients avoid dialysis,' Dr Bajaj added. The health ministry also runs 'Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program' (PMNDP) to make dialysis services available for free to the poor. Apart from dialysis, NHA data shows AB-PMJAY is utilised by the beneficiaries for procedures such as cataract removal, angioplasty, and caesarean deliveries.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DaVita Inc. (NYSE:DVA): A Case of Limited Growth Potential
We came across a bearish thesis on DaVita Inc. (NYSE:DVA) on ValueInvestorsClub by Fenkell. In this article, we will summarize the bears' thesis on DVA. The company's shares were trading at $147.00 when this thesis was published, vs. the closing price of $140.03 on Apr 17. Patients connected to dialysis machines in a hospital ward, highlighting the company's dialysis and intravenous therapies. DVA provides kidney dialysis services for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure in the United States. It operates kidney dialysis centers and provides related lab services in outpatient dialysis centers. Operating in a duopoly with Fresenius, it is expected that DVA should have a high pricing power. However, the US offers a unique challenge where dialysis is covered under Medicare, with private insurers stepping in for the first three years for those having coverage. Medicare is looking to limit the reimbursements and private insurers are not keen on providing coverage for dialysis. Therefore, DVA has not been able to ramp up the prices despite providing a critical service. DVA has been closing clinics, a sign that the volume growth has stalled. The End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) population grew by ~4%/year from 2007 to 2014, but this has dropped due to higher mortality of this population during COVID. The rate of new ESRD cases continues to fall with better treatment, healthier habits and a preference towards transplants. DVA has guided an average of 20 clinic closures per year which indicates that the post-COVID headwinds are certainly not temporary in nature. Dialysis treatment volumes are expected to grow at 3-5% with pricing growth limited due to the involvement of Medicare. There are other risks to factor that include kidney failure medications by Novo Nordisk and legislation to limit dialysis reimbursement rates that would curb DVA's ability to charge private insurers higher. DVA has also been accused of manipulating patients away from transplants in a bid to boost its own business. All these negativities have had a direct impact on its stock, with prices plunging 7-18% every time a negative news is announced. DVA has commanded a 17x forward FCF multiple under the assumption that growth rates would be higher. However, the industry headwinds should keep FCF flat at $9 if DVA manages to keep costs under check. A 10-12x multiple is justified due to the limited growth potential, offering a price target of $90-110. This presents a 22% downside when a higher multiple is considered. While we acknowledge the potential of DVA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than DVA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Sign in to access your portfolio
