Davao city: Diabetes continues to be the top cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among Filipinos, a local nephrologist said. Dr. Ma. Theresa Bad-ang, nephrologist and head of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC)-Human Advocate and Retrieval Effort, noted that other contributing factors include hypertension, genetic chronic nephritis, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections.

According to Philippines News Agency, Dr. Bad-ang explained that diabetes is often undiagnosed, making it the leading cause of CKD. She highlighted that urinalysis, which checks for protein, is crucial for early detection of kidney problems, as it is the first sign of kidney failure. CKD is characterized by a long-term, progressive loss of kidney function, often leading to waste and fluid buildup that eventually requires dialysis.

Bad-ang mentioned that most CKD patients are aged 50 to 60, but there are cases as young as seven years old in Davao City. She explained that kidney function declines with age, and the rate of decline increases significantly in uncontrolled diabetic and hypertensive patients.

She also noted the rise in the number of dialysis patients following the expansion of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation's (PhilHealth) dialysis package. PhilHealth now provides financial protection of up to PHP990,600 annually for CKD stage 5 patients, covering 154 sessions per year at PHP6,350 per session.

Data from the Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PHILNOS) and the Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service (KMITS) indicate that 134,000 Filipinos are currently undergoing dialysis. The increase is attributed to the free sessions offered by the government, alleviating patients' financial concerns.

Meanwhile, Bad-ang addressed the issue of family refusal in deceased organ donation. She emphasized the need for public awareness about the importance of organ donation from patients with irreversible brain function loss, as family consent remains a significant barrier.