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Mumbai Kidney Foundation – Annual Day 2018

The Mumbai Kidney Foundation Annual Day was held on Sunday, March 2018 at the Aspee Auditorium, Malad from 9 am to 2 pm followed by Lunch. 

The MKF Annual day, done every year for the last 8 years is a celebration of the inner strength and resilience of our patients.

It was a cultural extravaganza with performances by dialysis and transplant patients. It was heartening to see the enthusiasm and joie de vivre of these patients. Our patients practiced for 3 months prior to the annual day balancing their dialysis schedules, jobs and family responsibilities. The patients are not professional dancers or singers but the programme was a mix of songs, dance, skits, fashion show, mimicry with full on masti, josh, fun and dhamaal!! It was well appreciated and served as a source of inspiration to the 500 plus patients and relatives in the audience. All our patients attended in large numbers with their near and dear ones and we had a packed auditorium! 

We salute the spirit and determination of our dialysis and transplant patients to live happily against all odds. Their courage in the face of illness is a lesson for everyone on how to overcome any burden in life and stay happy.

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SALT SATYAGRAHA — November-2017.

While the country was celebrating the birthday of the father of the nation on October 2 2017, a group of doctors decided it was time to call for a ‘Salt Satyagraha’ again. The objective of this Satyagraha campaign, for which the medical experts have roped in NGOs and dieticians, is to get the government to raise taxes on the seasoning and adopt other measures so that the average Indian reduces his/her intake of it.

Dr Umesh Khanna, Consultant Nephrologist, Lancelot Kidney and GI centre and Chairman of the Mumbai Kidney Foundation explained that consuming salt and sugar above the daily stipulated limits leads to diabetes and blood pressure problems, which together claim as many lives annually as tobacco does. “But while cigarette packets must have mandatory pictorial warnings, the snacks one consumes on a day to day basis, carry no such announcements. Most of them aren’t even labeled with details about the salt content.”

Dr Hemal Shah who heads the department of nephrology at Saifee Hospital and is the secretary of the Mumbai Nephrology Group, added, “While an individual must not consume more than 5 g of salt a day, a small pack of potato chips alone contains about 7.5 g of salt, which is 1 ½ day’s quota, but there’s no label pointing this out nor any regulations that require food manufacturers to specify the salt content on packaging. Hence we are adopting a multi-pronged approach, to spread awareness and change regulations concerning food labeling. Dr J S Pai, Director for Nutrition, Government of India, was present at our first Mumbai event, held at IIT Mumbai on November 12. And, we will shortly be approaching the health minister for support too.”

Highlighting the dangers of over consumption, Dr Arun Shah, a senior nephrologist and renal specialist who practices at Lilavati Hospital cited an article that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, which, “stated that reducing dietary salt by 3 g per day is projected to reduce the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease by 60,000 to 120,000, stroke by 32,000 to 66,000, and heart attacks by 54,000 to 99,000.”

Dr Khanna pointed out that the movement has already started to gather momentum with a number of doctors in New Delhi expressing their desire to be associated with it as well. “The Sapiens Foundation in Chennai has already been doing some work in this area. They had invited Dr Graham MacGregor, a professor of cardiovascular medicine who was instrumental in reducing the salt intake of UK residents to talk about the subject.”

The November 12 event saw several groups rally together to lend their support to the cause. Among them were Breach Candy Hospital Nephrologist Dr Bhupendra Gandhi’s NGO, the Amar Gandhi Foundation, which creates awareness about organ donation, Mumbai Nephrology Group, COREP Trust, the Mumbai Kidney Foundation,  the Sapiens health Foundation (Chennai) Narmada Kidney Foundation, Indian Dietetics Association and all the Nephrologists of Mumbai (MNG). Currently, over 100 Mumbai-based nephrologists and dietitians and over 70 Chennai-based nephrologists and cardiologists are associated with the campaign.

Dr Khanna told us their approach involves spreading awareness by collaborating with NGOs and advocacy groups, and requesting the FMCG industry to manufacture low salt options of commonly eaten snacks. “We are also working towards getting the hospitality industry to mention the salt content of dishes on menus, offer low salt options of dishes, to take away the salt shakers from tables at restaurants (allow guests to ask for them, if they feel they must) and to place standees on tables with messages that encourage people to eat less salt.”

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Walk for Kidney’s, Save your Kidneys. – Mar’16.

On the occasion of World Kidney Day 2016, MKF organized a ‘Walk for your Kidneys’ in IC Colony, Borivali on 12th March 2016 to spread awareness among people about kidney disease.400 people participated enthusiatcially along with some kidney patients. After the walk healthy breakfast was given and an interactive session took place between doctors and the walkers.
A talk on diet and prevention of diabetes high blood pressure and kidney disease was given followed by a panel discussion by eminent doctors. A series of free blood and urine tests was conducted of all guests to detect blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease.
The walk served as a reminder to all that kidneys are vital organs and that they should be taken care of. It was a way to make people more conscious about their lifestyle choices and in particular about the risks, dangers and burden of kidney disease and how to prevent it.

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The Salt Satyagrah – Seminar on Salt Awareness IN 2018

Community Service Medical I avenue initiative of SALT SATYAGRAH Seminar, organized on Sun 28th Oct 2018 at Veer Savarkar Udyan, Borivali by RC Borivli and co-hosted by RC Mira-road, RC Mumbai Borivali East, RC Mumbai Dahisar was an eye opener. The famous Nephrologist Dr. Umesh Khanna shared some startling statistics about usage of SOS (Salt, Oil, and Sugar) and how we can prevent diseases related to the excess use of these three.

Following are the excerpts of the seminar and very interactive 40 minutes Q & A session.
• 10 million people die of BP related causes
• Commonest cause of preventable deaths and disability in the world
• Hyper Tension is a silent killer causing heart disease, kidney failure and strokes
• 35% of the world population above 25 suffer from hypertension
• Hypertension kills more people than tobacco by developing a disease called atherosclerosis
• You can change this by reducing salt, oil and sugar by at least 30 percent
• One of the important strategies to control HT and its complication is changing lifestyle
• Average intake of salt in India is 10 to 15 grams or 2 to 3 tsf per person per day. The WHO recommends only 5 gram or 1 tsf of salt per day
• How do you get salt in food: Natural food, added salt in food and salt used as a preservative for processed food.
• The rapid growth of processed food usage by the youth is frightening and multiple national companies have entered India in a big way
• We need not blame always western diet, our Sukha Nashta is as bad
• There is an urgent need to reduce salt intake in India by At least 5 gms through Government and Rotary Initiatives
• UK and 17 other countries have successfully done it
• Remember unhealthy food is the biggest cause of death in the world especially premature death and disability
• Salt, sugar and oil especially trans-fat should be curtailed and all of you should pledge to take Ek Chammach Kum of SOS (Salt, Oil and Sugar) in your diet.
• Join the REDUCE SOS by 30 % campaign
• Stay 30 feet away from a smoker
• Exercise for 30 minutes daily
• Above 30 yrs of age do regular BP, Sugar and weight charting and keep it under control
• 30 percent increase in fruit and vegetables consumption
• What increases BP?
• Salt, overweight and lack of exercise, smoking and lack of K~+ I.e fruits and vegetables
• Why do we eat salt? It is cultural, use as preservative for harsh winter
• Any proof of salt and BP: 1. Chimpanzees 2. Portugal village comparison 3. Japanese study govt effort of reducing salt in population
• Finland program, big fall in BP and hence strokes, salt reduction will reduce osteoporosis and stomach cancer and stoned
• Hence WHO has advised only one spoon of salt or 5 gm consumption
• Major sources of salt intake, either added in food or processed food or eating out
• Start from school campaign, media, TV, social media – public education.
• Next step is industry to do their bit, getting low salt tasty snacks. They can start labelling foods, coding like traffic signals, govt to put salt tax, or tax exemption on good food. UK has successfully done this project of industry doing incremental reductions in salted snacks salt content. Taste buds get adjusted in 2 weeks.
• WHO now recognised and recommends, salt reduction as the most cost effective method of saving lives, value for money
• I cannot do it alone, but collectively all of us especially the NGOs can spread awareness and pressure the govt for reigning the food industry and hotel industry
• Rotary along with Mumbai Kidney Foundation and AGF along with Sapiens has initiated this Ek Chammach Kum abhiyaan and has promised to take it to all corners of the district 3141. They have the necessary tools to do it.
• Let this save millions of lives in India and reduce the burden of Strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, kidney failure and by reducing in addition sugar and oil you can prevent DM, obesity and heart disease and paralysis thus multiplying the benefits
• Be the change you wish to see in this world.
• Join the Salt Satyagraha and start Ek chammach Kum Abhiyaan
Thank you District Medical I avenue Co Chair Dr. Dharmaji Shinde, Lead Host Club (RC Borivli) President Narendra Shah, for their efforts in organizing this wonderful session.
Request all the Rotarians to promote the above pearls of wisdom on personal health by posting this document on social media via WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and twitter.
Best Regards,
Chetan Desai
Group Chief Avenue Head
Miracle Community Service

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MKF Annual Day — March-2016.

The Mumbai Kidney Foundation Annual Day was held on Sunday, 20th March 2016 at the Aspee Auditorium, Malad from 9 am to 2 pm followed by Lunch.
The MKF Annual day, done every year for the last 7 years is a celebration of the inner strength and resilience of our patients.
It was a cultural extravaganza with performances by dialysis and transplant patients. It was heartening to see the enthusiasm and joie de vivre of these patients. Our patients practiced for 3 months prior to the annual day balancing their dialysis schedules, jobs and family responsibilities. The patients are not professional dancers or singers but the programme was a mix of songs, dance, skits, fashion show, mimicry with full on masti, josh, fun and dhamaal!! It was well appreciated and served as a source of inspiration to the 500 plus patients and relatives in the audience. All our patients attended in large numbers with their near and dear ones and we had a packed auditorium!
We salute the spirit and determination of our dialysis and transplant patients to live happily against all odds. Their courage in the face of illness is a lesson for everyone on how to overcome any burden in life and stay happy.

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Education on Organ Donation — December-2016

One more small step was taken by MKF to educate and give knowledge on Organ Donation & Kidney Transplant.
On 21 December 2016 MKF along with Mohan Foundation conducted an educational program “Organ Donation Awareness Program “.
The various topics covered were: which organs can be donated; who can be organ donors; what is brain death; difference between brain death & coma; what is the importance of a donor card and how can you obtain one.
We hope to hold more such educational programso as to spread awareness and promote organ donation.

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Kidney disease detection camp — Sep ’16.

A  small step taken by MKF towards the prevention of CKD .
1.) MKF had organized a Free Kidney & Liver Disease Detection Camp on Sunday 25 September 2016.
2.) This was to make people aware of the possibility of developing Kidney & liver Disease in high risk population.
3.) Blood pressure monitoring, blood sugar checking, serum creatinine & Urine test was done for diagnosing early kidney disease also SGPT , HbSAg & HCV test was done to diagnose liver disease.
4.) Gastroenterologist, Nephrologists along with Dietitian were available for Consultation.
5.) Last but not the least people were made aware about the organ donation by our dedicated Volunteers.
6.) 209 patients took the benefit of this free testing once the result were announced the abnormal test were given free consultation as per appointment.
7.) The Camp was followed by Tea & snacks.

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