A landmark series of papers just published in The Lancet has a number that should alarm India’s healthcare system: up to 50% of chronic kidney disease (CKD) cases are never diagnosed by a doctor — and that figure is almost certainly higher in middle- and lower-income countries like India.
CKD already affects 844 million adults worldwide and is now the ninth leading cause of death globally. The research — led by Dr. Jennifer Lees of the University of Glasgow — points to a particularly troubling disparity: non-white populations and women are up to twice as likely to remain undiagnosed compared to white men. Given that India has some of the world’s highest rates of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity — all primary drivers of CKD — and given that people of South Asian origin face elevated risk, the findings have direct and urgent relevance here.
The irony: A simple, affordable urine test can detect CKD early, yet it isn’t used routinely. By the time symptoms appear, patients often need dialysis or a transplant.
This is worth featuring, especially given the dual angle of healthcare equity and the very real human and economic costs of late diagnosis.
