How can the Middle East tackle the rise in kidney disease cases?

Kidney disease has more than doubled in 35 years, with the Middle East facing up to the rising costs of treating the condition as cases surge.

A report released this month showed the Middle East and North Africa have the highest prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the world. Research published in The Lancet showed 18 per cent of people have the condition diagnosed, compared with the global average of 14 per cent.

Analysis focused on people who are at least 20 years old and had CKD diagnosed between 1990 and 2023. They were from 204 countries and territories. Iran, Libya, Mauritius, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria were among the countries where CKD has put pressure on the healthcare system.

Related health problems

Driven by poor lifestyle choices, obesity and diabetes, chronic kidney disease is often diagnosed too late to avoid a lifetime of dialysis or the need for organ transplant.

In 2023, CKD was the ninth-leading cause of death worldwide, with the condition responsible for nearly 1.5 million deaths. Doctors have called for better early stage screening to stem the rise in mortality.

“The major causes for CKD is diabetes, blood pressure, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle,” said Dr Ganesh Dhanuka, a nephrology specialist at International Modern Hospital, Dubai. “Now we are more machine-dependent, there's an increasing prevalence of these issues. Smoking, over the counter pills and drinking are other major factors leading to CKD.

“In the Middle East, high temperatures cause frequent dehydration, which eventually leads to kidney failure. It's a chronic problem, eventually the patient will land in dialysis and require a kidney transplant.”

CKD is responsible for 22.35 deaths in every 100,000 people in Saudi Arabia and 43.7 deaths in every 100,000 people in Egypt. The figure is considerably lower in the UAE (8.6) and that is largely because cases are detected early.

Most patients have the condition diagnosed in the end stages. While disease progression is slow, there are few symptoms in the early stages. That makes treating the disease at the advanced stages considerably more challenging and expensive.

“Eventually, the patient dies because of the complications, or dialysis or transplant related complications – that’s why the mortality is increasing,” said Dr Dhanuka.