PATNA, Oct. 1 -- "Cases of drug-induced kidney diseases are steadily rising, underscoring the urgent need to sensitise gynaecologists, paediatricians,cardiologists,physicians and surgeons, about the harmful effects of nephrotoxic drugs," said Dr Pankaj Hans, professor in the department of medicine at Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH). Dr Hans, who was recently elected president of the Indian Society of Nephrology (Eastern Zone) during its three-day conference in Ranchi that concluded on September 28, said creating awareness among doctors about analgesics (painkillers), intravenous contrasts used for CT scan,angiographies, etc. and aminoglycosides - antibiotics often used to treat severe bacterial infections - will be one of his top priorities. He also stressed the need to reach out to kidney patients with critical care facilities and train local doctors in rural areas to identify and avoid nephrotoxic drugs. According to a recent study, CKD is particularly severe in rural areas, where 15.34% of the population is affected compared to 10.65% in urban areas. "Doctors should try to avoid diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory generic drug used to treat pain, and aminoglycosides as much as possible and opt for safer alternatives to prevent kidney damage. These drugs can harm kidneys even in otherwise healthy patients," said Dr Hans, who also heads the department of nephrology at Patna's Ruban Patliputra Hospital, a National Accreditation Board for Hospitals accredited multi-speciality facility. Highlighting the global scale of the problem, Dr Hans said one in every 10 people suffers from some form of kidney disease. "Nearly 50%-60% of the CKD cases we see in outpatient clinics are linked to diabetes, while the rest are triggered by hypertension, genetic reasons, long-term use of nephrotoxic and indigenous medicines, as well as obesity," he said. Kidney diseases are a public health concern in India, especially because the prevalence has risen from 11.2% (2011-2017) to 16.38% (2018-2023) among individuals aged 15 and above, said Dr Harsh Vardhan, a faculty member in nephrology at PMCH. With the burden of CKD rising in India, nephrologists stressed the importance of both preventive measures and early detection to reduce avoidable cases caused by indiscriminate use of harmful drugs....