title: Chronic peritoneal dialysis in South Asia - challenges and future.
abstract: Chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD), especially continuous ambulatory PD (CAPD), is being increasingly utilized in South Asian countries (population of 1.4 billion). There are divergent geopolitical and socioeconomic factors that influence the growth and expansion of CAPD in this region. The majority of the countries in South Asia are lacking in government healthcare system for reimbursing renal replacement therapy. The largest utilization of chronic PD is in India, with nearly 6500 patients on this treatment by the end of 2006. A large majority of patients are doing 2 L exchanges 3 times per day, using glucose-based dialysis solution manufactured in India. Chronic PD is not being utilized in Myanmar, Bhutan, or Seychelles. Affirmative action by the manufacturing industry, medical professionals, government policy makers, and nongovernmental organizations for reducing the cost of chronic PD will enable the growth and utilization of this life-saving therapy.
authors.affiliation: Sri Ramachandra University Hospital, Chennai, India. abraham_georgi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Georgi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Balaji
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pratap
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sankarasubbaiyan
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Govindan
authors.forename: K Shivanand
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.forename: Rezvi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sheriff
authors.forename: S A Jaffar
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Naqvi
mesh_terms: D001211:Asia, Western; D001631:Bhutan; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007195:Indian Ocean Islands; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D002052:Myanmar; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors