Several People In North Central Region Have Chronic Kidney Disease
Over 15 percent of the population in the North Central province are suffering from the Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Aetiology (CKDU), the Health Ministry said.
According to Health Ministry spokesman W. M. D Wanninayake research was carried out in the area with the assistance of the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the magnitude of the spread of the disease.
Wanninayake said that Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena convened a high level meeting on Thursday with the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Social Services, Irrigation and water supply, Indigenous medicine and Science and Technology to discuss the issue.
CKDU is caused by exposure of individuals to a combination of Nephrotoxic heavy metals (Cadmium and Arsenic) at low concentrations. Heavy metals enter the body mainly through the food chain and possibly also through air pollution, the Health Ministry said.
It also said that preventing the indiscriminate use of fertilizer and certain pesticides which have toxic effects on Kidney properties can help to protect the vulnerable segments of the population, the Health Ministry said.
In Sri Lanka’s situation, its likely that Cadmium is the culprit, which a group of Scientists are trying to deny. Sri Lanka does not have toxic levels of arsenic in ground water; In South Asia, its only Bangladesh and some parts of NE India which have high arsenic contents. I can say with confidence as I have done work on arsenic for the UK Government and the EU. Its also evident that Cadmium gets into water from fertilizer. To prevent further incidence of renal disease, the Government should focus on the root cause, i.e. stop using fertilizer with Cadmium, without wasting further time.
Professor select, Johns Hopkins-RCSI University Malaysia
This is what happens after continuous use of agro-chemicals which contains Arsonic and Cynide. Yet they are hell bent on hiding the facts. The main company’s slogan called “Manussakama” is a fluke!
my three pala whats going on brother
getting into the kidney bussiness are you
Health Ministry
Please issue a statement on this issue indicating the findings of WHO without allowing people who do not know any science to give their own interpretations such as as cadmium & arsenic enter through air (hic..) and from fertilizer. Prof Mendis of WHO never made such statements at the press conference. These statements create much problems to our agricultural exports