Telangana among India’s kidney disease hotspots, ICMR study finds
HYDERABAD: Telangana has emerged as one of India’s leading kidney disease hotspots, with nearly one in every 14 adults suffering from impaired kidney function — a prevalence rate of 7.4%, according to a new Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study. The figure matches Goa’s and is more than double the national average of 3.2%.
The findings, part of the ICMR-INDIAB kidney health assessment, have raised concern among public health experts. The survey, which covered over 25,000 adults across all 31 states and Union Territories, found Odisha (6.2%) and Kerala (6.1%) next, while Tamil Nadu (4.3%), Puducherry (4.2%), and Andhra Pradesh (3.0%) reported lower rates.
Doctors flag multiple causes
Nephrologists attribute Telangana’s chronic kidney disease (CKD) burden to a mix of factors — widespread use of painkillers, poor drinking water quality, and rising cases of diabetes and hypertension, particularly in rural areas. Hospitals in Hyderabad and district headquarters are recording hundreds of new kidney patients each month in both dialysis and outpatient departments.
“People who develop hypertension in their 20s are reaching kidney failure by their early 30s — something we never saw two decades ago,” said Dr Sree Bhushan Raju, head of nephrology at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS). He cautioned against excessive protein supplements and creatine use among gym-goers. “There’s a fitness fad without medical guidance. It’s turning into a silent epidemic,” he added.
Unregulated drug use deepens crisis
Senior nephrologist Dr K Rakesh said the easy availability of painkillers and the prevalence of unqualified rural practitioners prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for minor ailments have worsened the situation. “In rural Telangana, patients with uncontrolled diabetes or blood pressure often turn to local healers. By the time they reach tertiary hospitals, their kidneys are already damaged,” he said.
Doctors have also warned about indiscriminate use of antacids such as pantoprazole, unregulated alternative medicines, and lifestyle factors like alcohol and smoking. Telangana’s liquor consumption, pegged at ₹282 crore in 2024 according to the excise department, reflects another health risk. The state also ranks highest in per-capita spending on premium alcohol, with rural residents alone spending ₹3,061 annually on foreign liquor and beer, according to a National Institute of Public Finance and Policy report.
