Kidney Disease and Dialysis in Jamaica
By: Dr. Curtis Yeates                                                                  

Hypertension and diabetes are the most common cause of kidney disease in Jamaica.900 patients per year will develop chronic kidney disease. There are 450 patients on kidney replacement treatment. The modalities of kidney replacement treatments are transplantation, haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Haemodialysis is by far the most common modality used.

There are 300,000 patients with diabetes in Jamaica. It is estimated that there are 600,000 people with hypertension in Jamaica. From studies done it would appear that hypertension is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease in Jamaica. This is unlike United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom where diabetes is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease.

In Jamaica, like Barbados diabetes is the second most common cause. Unfortunately 300 Jamaicans per million population would need dialysis or some form of kidney replacement treatment. This is compared to 200 per million population and 100 per million populations for the U.S.A. and U.K respectfully.

The largest haemodialysis and CAPD programs in Jamaica were established and presently run by Dr Curtis Yeates consultant Physician and Nephrologist