Number of kidney patients worrying

Star: RAUB: About 20,000 Malaysians will have kidney problems and require haemodialysis treatment in 2008, said Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
He said currently there were some 13,000 kidney patients and the figure was increasing by another 2,500 every year.
“Our records show that the figure is the highest in the Asean region and this is worrying because half of the patients are diabetic,” he told reporters after opening the Raub Haemodialysis Centre here yesterday.
The centre, which has 10 machines donated by Pudu Rotary Club, is managed by the St John Ambulans Malaysia. The ministry will install two more machines.
Also present was Second Finance Minister and Raub MP Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen.
Dr Chua said while it was important to have these centres to treat patients and help them prolong their lives, it was also important to prevent others from getting the disease.