Just 10% of 72,000 Vietnamese kidney patients in the final stages get blood purification, Bach Mai Hospital’s statistics showed. The rest 90% died because they can not afford high expenses for the blood purification, doctors said, adding that the cost is estimated at VND7.5 million-VND8 million ($384-$410)/person/month. The disease’s symptoms may be very subtle and patients often feel them in the final stages when their kidney mostly lose nine tenth of its functions, experts noted, recommending the locals to have medical check-ups periodically for early treatment. The high-risk groups are people suffering from diabetes, hypertension and gravel, experts elaborated. Kidney failure is now attacking Vietnamese people aged less than 40 and the re-infection for many times is blamed for the failure, they added. Vietnam now has more than five million people catching kidney problems, accounting for 6.73% of its population, the hospital said, adding that nearly 8,000 people contracts kidney disease a year. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi Jan 4 p7)
