March is Kidney Awareness Month, and Kidney Health New Zealand is urging Kiwis to do one thing: request a kidney test from their GP or a community testing site.
The national charity is launching its ‘Love Your Kidneys – Request a Test’ campaign to raise awareness of kidney disease. Kidney Health New Zealand says the disease affects more than one in ten New Zealanders, but this may be as high as one in seven, because kidney disease is silent, with few symptoms until its advanced stages.
“Kidney disease is common and often silent,” says Madi Keay, General Manager of Kidney Health New Zealand. “Many people can lose up to 70% of kidney function before they experience any symptoms. By the time someone feels unwell, the disease can already be advanced.”
About 210,000 New Zealanders are thought to have chronic kidney disease overall, and this number is rising largely because of increasing diabetes and related conditions. Roughly one-third of Kiwis over 60 show some degree of kidney function change.
Chronic kidney disease impacts individuals and whānau, and it also places growing pressure on an already stretched health system. Dialysis services are operating at or near capacity in many regions, and demand is forecast to continue rising.
It’s a major and growing health issue with substantial inequities by ethnicity and age. Diabetes and high blood pressure account for around 70% of chronic kidney disease, the leading causes. Māori, Pasifika and Indo-Asian communities are disproportionately affected, with significantly higher rates of chronic kidney disease.
“When kidney disease is identified early, people can live long, full lives and, in many cases, avoid dialysis altogether,” Keay says. “A simple blood and urine test through your GP can check kidney health. It’s straightforward, and it could make all the difference.”
Keay says early detection changes outcomes. Early detection and effective management of diabetes and high blood pressure can prevent chronic kidney disease or delay progression by years, reducing the demand on dialysis services.
“Prevention and early identification are critical,” says Keay. “One test could change the next ten years for Kiwis, and this is about empowering people to take the first step to get on top of the disease early.”
Throughout March, Kidney Health New Zealand will be sharing prevention-focused messaging nationwide, encouraging Kiwis to ask their GP about their kidneys, and delivering free community kidney health testing events. Visit www.loveyourkidneys.co.nz for the calendar of events and more information.
