Health officials in Argentina advocate for simple tests to assess kidney health, emphasizing that many are unaware of their conditions despite the prevalence of kidney disease.
In Argentina, kidney health awareness is growing, with claims that around five million people may suffer from kidney disease, yet only 10% are aware of their condition. Marina Papaginovic Leiva, president of the Argentine Society of Nephrology, highlights that kidney disease affects one in eight individuals, often without their knowledge.
The kidneys play a crucial role in filtering waste and excess fluid from the blood, a function that becomes compromised in the presence of illness. To address this widespread issue, health officials are promoting two simple and affordable tests that can provide critical information on kidney function, enabling timely medical intervention before conditions progress to more severe stages requiring treatments like dialysis or transplants.
Unfortunately, many individuals remain unaware of their deteriorating kidney health until the damage is significant, sometimes even resulting in premature mortality before reaching a state of renal failure. The push for increased testing and awareness is aimed at reducing the risks associated with late-stage kidney disease and improving overall public health.
