KUALA LUMPUR: The number of Malaysians with kidney failure is expected to reach 106,000 by 2040, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

Dr Noor Hisham said what's alarming is that 30 per cent of them are young people under the age of 45 and this could have a negative impact on the country's socio-economy.

He said to date there are about 40,000 kidney failure patients undergoing dialysis treatment nationwide.

"According to a study about 8,000 new patients were confirmed in 2018 and this trend is increasing every year ... if this continues then the number of patients requiring dialysis will reach 106,000 in 2040," he said when officiating National Kidney Day 2021 virtually here, today.

As such he said, the Health Ministry (MOH) Nephrology Service, the Malaysian Society of Nephrology and the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF) would be implementing various events to support awareness campaigns aimed at promoting kidney health among Malaysians.

This will include public awareness activities, regular kidney disease screening for the public and engaging members of the public as ambassadors or advocates for kidney patients.

At the event, NKF Malaysia chairman Datuk Dr Zaki Morad Mohamad Zaher said for most kidney patients by the time they were diagnosed with the disease, 90 per cent of their kidney function has gone.

"To prevent chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its complications, we encourage the public to undergo kidney disease screening at health facilities," he said.

He said studies have found that 61 per cent of new patients requiring dialysis treatment suffer from diabetes while another 16 per cent have high blood pressure due to unhealthy eating habits and lifestyles.

World Kidney Day has been celebrated in Malaysia since 2006 on the second Thursday of March every year, to raise public awareness on kidney disease.

For the first time this year the event themed 'Living Well with Kidney Disease' is celebrated virtually through 'MyBuahPinggang' Facebook Live platform following the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA