The scientific sessions of the first Oman International Nephrology Conference, organized by the Nephrology Department at the Royal Hospital (RH) has started today (Friday) with the participation of more than 270 health workers concerned with renal care from the Sultanate’s different Health Institutions, as well as from Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), private sector, in addition to other participants from the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.

The conference was officially opened yesterday (Thursday) under the auspices of H.E. Dr. Sultan Ya’rub Al Busaidi, Ministry of Health’s Advisor for Health Affairs, at Hormuz Grand Hotel.

The opening ceremony included inaugural speech delivered by Dr. Sadiq Abdul Redha Al Lawati, head of Nephrology Department RH and Organizing Committee Chairman where he stressed that the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a global problem and the number of patients developing it is increasing in an exponential manner. Dr. Al Lawati highlighted the alarming statue of CKD in the Sultanate as there are more than 1500 patients on Hemodialysis and around 190 patients on peritoneal dialysis in which the majority are of young age. He added that around 1350-1400 patients are post renal Transplant status.

Dr. Al Lawati pointed out that the major cause of End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in Oman is Diabetes mellitus (DM) that represent more than 46%. furthermore, he embarked on 2009 survey that was conducted on 40,000 people in Oman revealing that  Approximately 29% of them found to be in CKD stage I-II, 9% are in CKD stage III, and 1% in CKD stage IV-V.

Lastly, Dr. Al Lawati emphasized that these figures are alarming and need to be taken seriously since they have a high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and therefore in the future they will be a big burden to the Health services.

Moreover, prof. John Feehally, Emeritus Consultant Nephrologist at the University Hospitals of Leicester and Programs Chair of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) presented a lecture on the Global advances in preventing and treating kidney diseases - still a long way to go. Prof. Feehally declared that many people in low and middle-income countries still lack access to care for acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in addition to the shortage of trained nephrologists, and other expert health care professionals, pointing out that there is a close link between deficiencies in kidney care and the economic status of each country.

He later reviewed the ISN role stating that the Society, working with many partners, plays an active role in overcoming these deficiencies through its education and training programs, and through advocacy.

Moreover, he pointed out that chronic dialysis therapy for ESRD is complex and costly, and provides a financial challenge even to high-income countries. Kidney transplant is an affordable option for some countries when dialysis is not, but access to kidney transplantation is variable, and many cultural and social issues influence its availability. Providing equitable and just access to dialysis and transplant offers an important ethical challenge. Prof. Feehally added that prevention, earlier detection, and effective care to slow progression are therefore the affordable way to improve outcomes for CKD. The enormous growth of diabetic kidney disease, now the commonest cause of ESRD worldwide, and the ‘epidemics’ of CKD of uncertain cause in equatorial agricultural communities are two important areas requiring research and more effective interventions. He explained that detection and treatment of reversible AKI is affordable in all health economies, and is the focus of ISN’s 0by25 initiative. Specific therapies such as snake antivenom, and general therapies such as fluids and antibiotics, have high impact. Acute peritoneal dialysis can be made available and affordable even in very low resource settings as shown by the Saving Young Lives program.

Finally, he affirmed that there has been impressing progress in the care of people with kidney disease around the world in recent years, but more must be done by ISN and others to help make that progress less uneven.

At the end of the ceremony, the patron of the event opens the accompanying exhibition of the pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies that displayed various medical products related to Nephrology.

The conference hosted renowned international consultants and experts in Nephrology from the Sultanate as well as Lebanon, United States of America, Canada, England, France, Italy, India, and Iran. 

 The Oman International Nephrology Conference is held with the objective of upgrading the participants’’ scientific level in the field of Nephrology and Transplantation through viewing the latest advancements and techniques used in diagnosis and treatment domains.

The conference’s sessions involved various scientific lectures that addressed number of aspects related to nephrology including updates in the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in Kidney Diseases (KDs), in addition to peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis. Moreover, lectures reviewed compatibility in Kidney transplantation and post-transplantation problems.

Today’s (Friday) lecture included the latest update in Membranous Glomerulonephritis,    classification and management of IgA Nephropathy, challenges related to kidney diseases, Pathophysiology and management of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and the history of Genetic diseases of the kidneys in Oman. Furthermore, diagnosis and management of Hepatitis C in Kidney disease, Hyperfiltration and renal disease progression in Diabetes, as well as Recurrence of Glomerulonephritis after transplantation were underlined.       

The most important last day lectures highlight the techniques and utility of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and Antibody detection, in addition to Anemia in Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD).

Additionally, the conference discusses with the international experts some of difficult medical cases in the field of kidney and kidney transplantation, and the various challenges faced by the Nephrologists in the Sultanate aiming at developing solutions based on global visions and strategies thus improving the care of the renal patients in Oman for better quality of life.