Kidney disorders on steep rise in India

Driven by the lofty philosophy of letting patients enjoy ‘Inner Happiness’ and achieve fulfillment with ‘Mukti’, Nephrocare, one-stop treatment centre for kidney diseases, is lining up an ambitious plan of setting up multiple centres across the state and many other parts of the country, eventually. A brainchild of Dr Pratim Sengupta, one of Kolkata’s best known nephrologists, the one-year-old Nephrocare is fired by the principle of “When I become WE, Illness becomes Wellness” Speaking to Bizz Buzz exclusively, soon after the World Kidney Day (March 09), doctor-turned-entrepreneur Dr Sengupta, founder of Nephrocare India Pvt Ltd, outlines his vision about complete and holistic renal care and his plans on providing comprehensive treatment to kidney patients.

What is the magnitude of the problem of kidney diseases in India?

The reported prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in different regions In India ranges from 1 per cent to 13 per cent, and recently, data from the International Society of Nephrology’s Kidney Disease Data Center Study reported a prevalence of 17 per cent of the population. The etiology of CKD varies considerably throughout India. Parts of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Goa have high levels of CKD of unknown etiology (CKDu), which is a chronic interstitial nephropathy with insidious onset and slow progression. Another way of looking at the gravity of the situation is that more than 1.3 billion people in India are served by 1850 nephrologists, who are unequally distributed but mostly concentrated in urban centers. Nephrology training positions are inadequate to grow the workforce, and the situation is worsened by “brain drain” to developed countries.

What are the key challenges in kidney care in India?

There are more challenges than one. Like other developing countries, India has unique situations and challenges that influence early diagnosis and management of CKD. Facilities and expertise available in different parts of the country are unequally distributed. Prevention and early detection of CKD mandate involvement of physicians at all levels. Most patients with CKD can be managed by their primary physicians with timely nephrology referrals. But unfortunately, they are not. The Indian Society of Nephrology modules should increase competence and lead to uniformity of delivered care. Welcome initiatives, such as governmental provision of affordable and easily accessible RRT (where available), drastic reduction in commercial transplantation, and increasing deceased donor transplants, are improving care of patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).

How would you like to position Nephrocare?

Nephrocare, located at Salt Lake, is the first-of-its kind tertiary care center for all types of Kidney disorder/diseases. The one-year-old Nephrocare is one stop treatment center that offers a wide range of comprehensive medical services for Kidney disease patients in a Holistic and Empathetic manner supported by a team of expert Doctors, experienced and well equipped paramedical professionals.

What was the vision and objectives when you started Nephrocare?

Right from the word ‘Go’, we set out on a Mission to establish a model system meeting all possible standards for renal care. Our Main focus all along has been to bridge the knowledge gap and thereby prevent and optimize care of kidney disease patients. The society is dedicated toward preventing Kidney disease and uplifting quality of life of Kidney disease patients. With great effort, The Kidney care Society has started Kidney care Academy, a platform that offers multiple patient education courses, Courses for technicians, Courses for Dietitians, so that everyone can enrich themselves in their respective field and serve better.

At Nephrocare, the treatment is planned on the basis of core scientific understanding, transparency and ethics. We are committed to provide the best medical care at an affordable cost to all our local, national and international patients. That’s what was the objective with which we started this, and the objective remains the same.

What does The Kidney Care Society do?

We conduct screening campaign, share tips and information for early detection and prevention of kidney disease. That is our priority. The society already created a huge impact in relation to tacking kidney disease. Epidemiological and innovative research for kidney disease is integral part of the different activities of the society. Understanding increasing need of more skilled human resource for handling patients with kidney disease, the society has taken lead in targeted areas of human resource and skill development for best possible care kidney disease patients. We believe that, activities of The Kidney Care Society will serve as a model for high risk countries to prevent the disease load and to bring good quality care for the kidney patients and in turn progress towards “good renal health for all”.

You always talk about and advocate holistic care. What exactly do you mean by that?

Mind you that a good healthcare is always a team effort. At Nephrocare and The Kidney Care Society, holistic care means:

v Understand their problem: Medical, social, mental, financial

v Medical treatment: Optimised as per their need/requirement

v Nutrition therapy: Individualised, specific, need-oriented

v Yoga therapy

v Stress management

v Awareness

v Diagnostic services

v Homecare: Periodic disinfection of home & car, wound care/stitch removal, post transplant homecare

v Empathetic counselling

What are the services on offer at Nephrocare?

As I said, Nephrocare promises to be one stop treatment center that offers a wide range of comprehensive medical services for Kidney disease patients in a holistic and empathetic manner.

Our USP is our well-researched renal nutrition. We have customised nutritional food and renal diets developed by renal nutritionists. This does not compromise on the taste of the food.

What are the milestones that Nephrocare has achieved over a short period of time?

It may sound like a cliche, but I would respond to this, recalling those famous lines by Robert Frost: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep” However, statistically speaking, over the last one year or so, we have served 6500 patients, conducted 300 kidney transplants, done 5500 blood tests, provided nutrition support to 2000. Besides, medicines supplied: 8000; USG done: 1100; ECOHS done: 1100; Enrolled for Yoga: 2000; Retina screening: 500; NCV done: 450; XRays done: 1300; PFT done: 500; Families benefitted: 10000+

So, what next?

We are lining up an ambitious plan of having multiple centres of Nephrocare not only across the State but in different parts of the country and of course, to conduct many m­ore workshops, awareness programmes, skilling programmes and so on. As a starter, we are coming up with a state-of-the-art dialysis-cum-nephrocare centre at Howrah.

How do you plan to mobilise funds to back up your expansion plans?

We are exploring various options, besides internal accruals: banks and other financial institutions, angel investors, VCs and of course initially from friends and family members. We are exploring both domestic and international funding options.