There is a growing trend of Chronic Kidney Disease in Guyana that is keeping health officials on their toes as more than five hundred new patients were put on dialysis over the last five years alone, Chairman of the Guyana Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Agency, Dr. Shanti Singh- Anthony has said.

Announcing the findings of a recent study conducted by the agency on Chronic Kidney Disease, Dr. Anthony said from 2020 to present, cases of Chronic Kidney Disease in Guyana rose sharply.

“In 2020, there were 63 persons receiving dialysis in the country, in 2021 that number doubled to 129 persons, in 2022, 326 persons,  in 2023 428, in 2024 556 persons and as of yesterday 2025, more than 600 people,” Dr. Singh stated.

Diabetes has been highlighted as the main cause of the Chronic Kidney Disease.

While other risk factors include smoking, elevated blood pressure, and not meeting the World Health Organization’s Threshold of daily physical activities.

Dr. Singh-Anthony told the forum that 67% of the population that were surveyed, had one to two risk factors and 33% of those people had three to five risk factors, which means that the risk for chronic Kidney Disease is significant.

“The number of people that are being placed on dialysis and are being diagnosed with Chronic Kidney disease is on the rise and you can see from the numbers and hence the increase in patients on dialysis,” Dr. Singh-Anthony stated.

Meanwhile, CEO of the Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Agency, Dr. Sondia Gordon, said the survey was done to better understand  both patients and caregivers of Chronic Kidney Disease and hopes that its findings will help not only in decision making for patients but prevention as well.

“The findings and recommendations we hope, will inform out efforts to improve patient care and education and support, as well as our strategies to promote kidney transplantation and organ donation here in Guyana,” Dr. Gordon stated.

The study titled, “The silent epidemic: Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease and Hemodialysis” will now guide the work of the organ transplant agency on the allocation of resources and attention to deal with Chronic Kidney Disease.

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