Status, Gaps and Way Forward in Addressing the Chronic Kidney Disease Unidentified (CKDu) in Sri Lanka

Starting in the mid-1990s, Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown aetiology (CKDu) was discovered among the rice paddy farmers in the North central Province (NCP) of Sri Lanka. Over the next two decades, the disease spread rapidly to the other farming areas. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Report of 2012, a minimum of 15% of people in the age group 15-70 years are affected by CKDu in North Central and Uva Provinces. According to Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA, 2013) of Sri Lanka, total population of 400,000 are effected countrywide. Total number of deaths due to CKDu is 1400 annually while the death rate of the North Central Province is 19 per month which is the island’s highest (Athuralia et al., 2009). Over the past 12 years numerous studies have been undertaken by a range of institutions in relation to the problem and, as a result, a body of research has been established. However, most of these studies were confined to each discipline and there was no interconnection between the disciplines although the disease and its effect goes beyond disciplines. By 2008, the CKDu problem received national prominence and the Government of Sri Lanka invited the World Health Organisation (WHO) to look into the problem through a systematic study, referred to as the National Research Program that was funded by the National Science Foundation and the WHO. Based on the recommendations of the WHO, the Government established an Inter-ministerial Committee comprising of the Ministries of Agriculture, Water Supply and Drainage, Social Services. In 2015, a Presidential Task Force was also formed to provide leadership and facilitation to this interdisciplinary task. This article attempts to review the current status of the action taken in combating the CKDu based on the said recommendations and provide guidance for the preparation of a road map to achieve the goal of eliminating the disease from the country Journal of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka: 2015 Vol. 4 No. 2: 58-6