Max smart super speciality hospital, Saket celebrated world kidney day this year at Essex Farms, Aurobindo Marg as an evening filled with music, entertainment and fun for those undergoing advance renal failure treatments, be it hemodialysis, paritoneal dailysis or rental transplant. The guests where from various parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Afghanistan and Africa besides the NCR region of course. The purpose of the event was to bring together people with similar medical backgrounds but diverse cultures together, giving an opportunity for them to mingle , share experiences and enjoy a delightful evening in the company of their immediate family and care-givers along with the healthcare professionals that they regularly meet at the hospital, although in a totally different ambience and mood.

Doctor Alka Bhasin director of nephrology at max smart super speciality hospital shared with highlights from the evening and a few tips we all can take to make our kidneys health, with Dil ki Awaaz on world kidney day.

Question 1. You host an event every year on world’s kidney day – what are the highlights from this year’s program?
Ans. This year is special and probably this is our largest event till date. Every year our event is getting better, rewording and more satisfying. As a clinical, it gives me huge pressure to see a smile on face of each and every person present in the audience today. And that was the soul perpose of doing this event. To have, I would say patients who have kidney disease in some form or the other – some inside the room are on kemo dialysis, some paritoneal dailysis, some are kidney transplanters. So for them the life is full of struggles, probably very busy with their home schedules and dailysis schedules. This is a opportunity for them to vent, lead down their hair and enjoy this as a family, we call this is extended MAX family and it is our way of thanking them for their faith and trust in us as care givers. we want them to feel that they are a part of MAX family and go home enjoyed , entertained and de-stressed.

Question 2. Very young age people are being diagnosed with kidney failures these days – what would you say are the reasons and how can one improve them in their daily life?
Ans. Often what happens is there are some childhood dysfunction that go neglected. These individuals progress in life and because kidney disease is a silent problem they never really get to know or feel anything. So when these children are entering adult life and when are in young adult age 20-30 then things strike, maybe that’s when they get the first ultrasound of their life at that point, maybe they get their first blood pressure check at that time and maybe they get married and they have a child and that’s then they realise it. So it is very very important that we look after these children who will in future become young adults, monitar their blood pressure, keep a close eyes on their lifestyle, prevent them from cigarette smoking, if they are obysis then trim down the weight. Engage in regular exercise, do not indulge in cigarette smoking and junk food eating so as they turn into young adults they’ll be more healthy and will be able to have very fruitful and productive health ahead.

Question 3. The working men and women do not get much time to exercise or students living alone far from home – literally live their life on fast food – what dietary advice will you give them?
Ans. A dietary advise that will help them in keeping their kidney healthy is not involve alcohol or very minimal intake and cutting down on salt. You’ll be surprised to know that all this fast food, party food and all the nick snacks available contain a very rich amount of salt so salt should only be used in your daily cooking and not excess. These are the kind of advice we would give to our kidney patients or who would like to prevent it. And of course we would tell them to not indulge in cigarette smoking and take adequate amount of carbohydrates, fats and proteins to maintain a healthy existence.

Question 4. What message would you give to the world on world kidney day?

Ans. The whole message and theme this year is ” Kidney health for everyone and every where” and I would take this message further and plead to the governments all across the world and the countries to provide university health coverage who are at the risk of kidney disease or who have kidney disease so that they can get financial help toward their betterment.

The Nephrology department at max smart super speciality hospital wish each and everyone good health, happiness and peace in their lives and thank the amazing spirit of the rental donors present there.