Medicos unite to probe kidney mystery of Canacona
RUPESH SAMANT (PTI), PANAJI | 27 July 2010 13:55 IST
The medicos in Goa have taken gigantic exercise of collecting urine samples of all the 44,000 people from state’s Canacona taluka to demystify the mysteriously high deaths due to kidney ailments in this southernmost corner.
Doctors say that except children below ten years of age, urine samples of everyone will be collected and tested on the spot from August 15 onwards.
"Once we detect suspected patients through urine diagnosis, their blood would be tested so that the treatment can begin at once," Dr Shekhar Salkar, President, Indian Medical Association's Goa Unit told PTI today.
The group of doctors, para-medics, anganwadi workers and volunteers is formed for the project which also has been helped by state directorate of health services and Manipal Group of Hospitals.
The test would be conducted to quantify protein, albumin and red blood cells (RBC) in the urine.
Canacona taluka is troubled spot with kidney ailments attaining alarming proportion over last several decades. Rough estimates point out that of the total patients admitted in state run Goa Medical College (GMC), 80 per cent are from Canacona taluka.
"It is estimated that 70 per cent of the people from Canacona taluka are affected with kidney ailment," Prof F M Nadaf, a geographer, teaching in the taluka, said.
"Almost one of the two person from Canacona belong to Pagi or Velip community. These communities are high risk groups for this disease,"
Dr Salkar said.
The government record indicates that there are 394 kidney patients in this taluka, of which 94 are regularly taking dialysis at state government hospital. An Urban Health Centre at Canacona has conducted 25,000 dialysis since 2003, when the machine was commissioned there.
"The problem here is acute. There are large number of people who realize that they are suffering from kidney ailment at much later stage," Vasudeo Pagi, a journalist hailing from this taluka, said.
Pagi lost his father and aunt to this disease.
The repetitive studies by the state government through private agencies have failed to pin point the reason behind the kidney cases.
"I personally feel that the cases may be basically because of chemical composition of water in this area," Nadaf said.
Dr Salkar said that till now many studies are conducted but no cause could be identified. "Now we want to have early diagnosis so that there is early treatment," he said.
Congrats Dr. Salkar. A good start which was essential actually at Govt.front.You have proved "KRIYEVINA VACHALTA VYARTH AAYE."
ALl the best in your project.