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PDF printable version of New TV Ad Promotes Lifetime Kidney Health(PDF 21 KB)

25 May 2010

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mark Butler today visited the Canberra Community Dialysis Centre to mark the beginning of Kidney Health Week - an annual health awareness campaign to emphasise the importance of looking after your kidneys for life.

To mark the occasion, Kidney Health Australia launched its new TV commercial which promotes kidney health through messages about risk reduction, early detection and better management of kidney disease.

“Under the historic National Health and Hospitals Network the Australian Government is placing a greater focus on better hospitals, improved primary care and preventive health,” Mr Butler said.

“In total, we will be investing an additional $7.3 billion towards establishing the National Health and Hospitals Network. A key element of the Network will be early intervention and prevention to take pressure off public hospitals. We are committed to refocusing the health system towards prevention which will improve the health of Australians and reduce the pressure on the health system.

“We have committed $449 million for more coordinated care for patients with diabetes which will help patients better manage their condition and keep healthier over time, including through managing lifestyle risk factors like obesity, smoking and alcohol misuse. A major focus of Kidney Health Week is to raise awareness of how individuals can reduce their risk of kidney disease by making better lifestyle choices.

“Considerable progress has already been made towards this goal. The National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health is a joint commitment the Australian Government reached with the state and territories in November 2008. Under this agreement $872.1 million over six years has been committed to fund national initiatives to support Australians to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

“The Australian Government works collaboratively with state and territory governments to provide dialysis and related support services for sufferers of chronic kidney disease,” Mr Butler said.

Media contact: Samantha Regione, Mr Butler’s Office, 02 6277 4414

Background:

Chronic kidney disease is the seventh most common cause of death in Australia with 50 people dying each day from kidney failure.

Almost half of all diagnosed cases of kidney failure are related to poor lifestyle choices such as a bad diet, smoking, excessive drinking and a lack of physical exercise.

An unhealthy lifestyle can seriously damage the kidneys and cause preventable conditions such as type 2 diabetes. In the worst case scenario, these factors can cause kidney failure, which can lead to death or leads to a situation where the patient needs regular dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.

The number of people receiving dialysis treatment for kidney failure is projected to reach 20,000 over the next ten years. Dialysis accounted for around two thirds (over $593 million) of the $898.7 million health care expenditure from treating chronic kidney disease, in 2004-05.

The average cost of receiving dialysis in hospital is $82,764 per person per year. The cumulative cost of dialysis from 2004 – 2010 is expected to be $4.5 billion dollars.

A person can lose up to 90 per cent of their kidney function before experiencing any symptoms.

For more information and to view the new TV commercial visit Kidney Health Australia. www.kidney.org.au/