Odisha is set to become the first state in India to roll out a comprehensive chronic kidney disease (CKD) registry, with plans to launch it by March 31. The initiative aims to generate reliable data on the prevalence of CKD across the state and enable the government to design targeted policies and programmes to address the growing burden of kidney disease.
According to Susanta Kumar Swain, Additional Director of Health Services (Non-Communicable Diseases), no Indian state currently has full coverage under a CKD registry. Although the Nephrologists Association of India (NAI) had earlier introduced a CKD registry, it is no longer active and contains limited data. “Very little information is available on the CKD registry portal at present,” he said.
To implement the initiative, the state government has constituted a 12-member task force headed by the Chief Secretary. In addition, a 17-member technical sub-committee referred to as the state working group has been formed. This group includes experts and representatives from AIIMS, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), various health institutions, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board, the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, geologists, and other stakeholders.
Swain noted that existing data largely captures only dialysis patients, who account for roughly 10% of the total CKD population. The remaining 90% are in the early stages of the disease and often go undiagnosed. Of all CKD cases, about 60% are linked to diabetes and hypertension, while the other 40% fall under chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDU). “The registry is aimed at identifying these undetected patients so that early diagnosis and treatment can be ensured,” he said.
Officials said the CKD registry will also act as a foundational database for future research and in-depth analysis of kidney disease trends in the state. Over the past three years, Odisha has reported 19,888 CKD cases and 4,718 deaths related to the condition. The prevalence of CKD in the state is estimated at around 14% among people aged over 15 years.
