'Silent killer' afflicts more than 140 million Chinese

The incidence rate of chronic kidney disease in China is 10.8 percent, which translates to more than 140 million cases. Kidney disease has become a critical threat to people's wellbeing along with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and tumors, local medical experts said ahead of the World Kidney Day falling on Thursday.

To arouse public awareness about kidney disease, Shanghai 6th People's Hospital is teaming up with more than 50 medical facilities in Shanghai and around the Yangtze River Delta region to kick off a three-year kidney health project promoting early screenings, proper diagnoses, precise treatments, whole-process management and patient care.

"We want to promote public understanding and awareness of kidney disease prevention and control, help reduce the incidence rate and enhance the chronic disease management system," said Dr Wang Niansong, director of Shanghai 6th's nephrology department. "We will also improve medical training for grassroots staff in order to promote dialysis services in community-based hospitals and elderly nursing houses for the convenience of patients."

Experts also urged local residents to visit a hospital whenever detecting abnormal data in urine tests for early diagnosis and treatment.

"Kidney disease doesn't have symptoms in the early stages, so it's called a 'silent killer.' It can develop very quickly if it's not caught early. Some people are already in the terminal stage when they're initially diagnosed," Wang said.