Kidney and kidney related chronic diseases in South Africa and chronic disease intervention program experiences

The burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rising in the world and the greatest burden is likely in developing countries such as South Africa (SA). This burden is related to the increase of 130% in noncommunicable diseases (NCD) such as diabetes and hypertension. SA has an additional burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which has infected 19.9% of adults and contributes to 30% of deaths. NCDs remain the major causes of death (37%). Hypertension is considered as a cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 34.6% of Blacks, 4.3% Whites, 20.9% of mixed race people, and 13.9% of Indians. Diabetes is believed to occur in 10% to 16% of South Africans. These risk factors, together with a high HIV/CKD burden (8%), result in a large burden of CKD. Other nontraditional risk factors, such as low birth weight, must also be considered. Despite rates of ESRD suspected to be about 400 per million population (pmp), only 99 pmp receive renal replacement therapy (RRT). Novel methods have to be established in the developing world to tackle the NCD and communicable disease burden. This article investigates the option of an integrated approach to chronic diseases as an answer to some of this burden. Both an urban-based and a rural-based NCD prevention and treatment program are reviewed.