Jamaica renal disease facts

Chronic kidney disease prevalence rate is approximately 500 in every 100,000 Jamaicans.

More than 2,000 Jamaicans are on the registry with chronic kidney disease.

Approximately 50 per cent are working class.

Approximately 55 per cent are men.

Approximately 45 per cent are women.

Approximately six per cent are under the age of 19 years.

Approximately 800 of those on the registry are on dialysis.

More than 20 per cent are not on dialysis because they can't afford it.

For paediatric patients, Jamaica is approximately number four compared to the rest of the world, in terms of the prevalence rate.

More than 50 per cent of persons with renal failure stem from hypertension, and more than 27 per cent is from diabetes.

Other causes are lupus (7.8 per cent), chronic glomerular disease (6.1 per cent) and polycystic disease (five per cent).

Renal centres in Jamaica: 11 free dialysis units, six hospital-based renal clinics and three transplant centres.

The first renal transplantation in the Caribbean was carried out in Jamaica in 1971.

Trinidad and Tobago has a well-developed transplant programme with more than 74 persons who have received living donor-kidney transplantation.

In most of the other countries in the region, patients who can afford it travel mainly to the United States for renal transplantation.

Organ procurement programmes are lacking in the Caribbean, therefore, renal transplantation is, for the most part, limited to living donor transplants.

To donate a kidney or to become an organ donor, visit any major hospital and sign up.

For monetary donation:

- The Jamaica Kidney Kids Foundation - PAY PAL account on website kidneykidsja.com; email: jakidney.kids@gmail.com; Dr Maolynne Miller - 876-391-5680

- The University Renal Foundation - Adeniyi Soyibo, 876-276-7186

- The Caribbean Institute of Nephrology - Adeniyi Soyibo, 876-276-7186