Kidney health in the Middle East.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common and costly health problem in the Middle East. The incidence of CKD is still unknown, and the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is estimated at 100 - 140 incident cases per million population in the Middle East countries. Most of the available statistics about prevalence are of treated ESRD. Published population-based studies for incidence and prevalence of CKD and ESRD are still lacking in most of the Middle East countries. This negatively affects the health planning and effectiveness of preventive and therapeutic measures in the region. The prevalence of renal replacement therapy varies among the different countries in the Middle East. The infrastructure for these services is also variable among these countries and affects the outcome, which as yet cannot be measured accurately. The low gross national income of the Middle East countries is a major factor in negating the implementation of research, planning, and improvement of the services for CKD patients. To overcome the obstacles for the renal services in the Middle East countries, the constraints on health expenditure need to be surmounted, which is not an easy task, and related appropriately to the gross national income. Awareness within the medical community and the public at large about the advances of therapeutic and preventive measures is also an important factor for progress toward better kidney health in the Middle East.