KMJS and Inquirer.net report the growing number of younger adults with CKD
CHEERS TO Jessica Soho’s Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho (KMJS) and Inquirer.net for presenting the threat of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) on the population. It called attention to the growing incidence of the disease among the younger generation, a significant shift since it used to afflict mostly older adults.
CKD occurs when the kidneys fail to carry out their function — clean out waste and extra fluid in our blood through urination. CKD is immensely progressive and a person affected may not be fully aware of its early stages, usually showing no signs and symptoms. Once the late stages occur, it is irreversible. The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) names CKD as the seventh leading cause of death in the country.
KMJS’ Special Report on February 8 presented the growing CKD crisis in the Philippines, combining expert insight with the lived experiences of young patients affected by the illness.
The program cited Dr. Maria Lourdes Lavin-Simangan from the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, who revealed that data shows about 7 million Filipinos affected by the disease along with the alarming increase of the affliction among younger persons.
KMJS examined the economic dimension of the CKD crisis, pointing out that treatment for many Filipinos is not only physically draining but financially crippling as well. Department of Health Undersecretary Albert Domingo discussed the cost of dialysis per session, as well as the limitations of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) coverage that most families use.
The program informed the public about government efforts to address the root causes of lifestyle-caused diseases. It described the requirement of the Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute for manufacturers to place food labels on the front of food products package so the public can more easily check the levels of fat, sugar, and salt these contain. KJMS called public attention to an initiative that makes it easier for the public to consider healthier options, when possible.
The program should follow up with more discussion of how food manufacturers can help promote healthier options in the market. It is, after all, well known that Filipino popular taste favors sweet and salty. The need is obvious: to educate the public so people can begin to correct or modify food taste and preference.
Meanwhile, Inquirer.net’s Dexter Cabalza documented the personal dimension of the disease. In a report published on December 21,, Cabalza focused on the impact of the disease on a patient’s emotional and mental health. This shift helps the public understand the terms of human suffering exacted by CKD.
Cabalza shifts the discussion to consider the economic dimension of the problem. He makes clear that unhealthy food consumption is not simply a matter of individual preference but also results from economic issues, highlighting the aggressive marketing of cheap and ultra-processed products.
His report pointed to the rising cases of CKD as a result of limited choices for the poor. Income inequalities deepen the problem as those who have less are presented with unhealthy food choices that are cheaper. Indeed, income inequalities rule the market.
Sustained coverage of disease threats must employ different lenses. The economic lens will show that more Filipinos simply do not have the means to adopt healthier options and the salutary lifestyles that promote better health in general.
National health concerns deserve sustained and serious attention from the media and CKD is only one among many other pressing issues. Reporters should explore different approaches in coverage to reflect the lived impact of the illness.
A “whole of government” approach is needed to reverse not just the threat of disease but the continuing decline of health in general that threatens the majority of the population who have less in life.
The media must play a role in this national effort, balancing its favor for the prominent and the better-endowed sectors of society. The concern for better food and nutrition should be incorporated even in entertainment programs, making its practice more attractive on radio and TV which are most grounded in the “masa” audience.
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