According to sources, the Health Department established a special task force on Tuesday to create an extensive Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) registry throughout Odisha, marking a major step in tackling public health issues.

The Health Secretary is leading the initiative, according to official sources, and the task force is made up of notable individuals from different departments. This comprises the Director of Panchayati Raj, the Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET), the Director of Health, and the Director of Public Health.

Additionally, directors from the Departments of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, along with the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), are integral to this effort.

The task force is entrusted with analysing the present scenario of CKD within the State, proposing effective management methods, and tackling the problems linked to the disease. The focus will be directed towards identifying regions with elevated occurrences of kidney disease and investigating the core causes and risk elements associated with it.

The efficacy of existing treatment protocols will also be scrutinised by the task force.

Furthermore, detailed information, including data on the life expectancy of those affected by CKD, will be systematically recorded in the new registry. This data is anticipated to aid in the formulation and implementation of informed health policies and initiatives by the State government, enhancing healthcare outcomes.

“We see CKD cases in several places in Odisha. Very less number of dialysis machines were available and treatment of CKD was difficult in my student days. On the contrary, dialysis machines are nowadays available at the CHC (community health centre) level,” the Director of Public Health Dr. Nilakantha Mishra said to OTV.