Kidney Health national clinical manager Merryn Jones. Photo: RNZ / Anusha Bradley
Thousands of people are expected to take advantage of free kidney disease tests on offer in Napier on Saturday as part of the Iron Māori event.
Kidney Health New Zealand said one in 10 people had kidney disease, and most didn't know why, or what to look out for.
National clinical manager Merryn Jones said early detection saved lives and reduced the burden on the health system.
Race contestants and supporters over the age of 18 could find free testing in the marquee in Ahuriri. The test consisted of a blood pressure check, and a finger prick.
Jones said they were expecting thousands of people through the door.
Tests could be done at the family doctors clinic, but the event aimed to reduce barriers to getting testing, like cost and time.
"It can be a barrier, the cost of going to a GP," she said. "I have patients who haven't seen a doctor in 20 years. Also, if you're working and raising a family, it can be hard to fit in."
People most at risk of chronic kidney disease were people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of the disease. It affected different ethnicities at different rates, occuring most often among Māori, Pasifika, South East Asian and Indian communities, and people aged 60 and over.
"We know that early detection and good management of risk factors for chronic kidney disease, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, especially if people don't know that they have these conditions, can help prevent the disease from happening, as well as slow down its progression," Jones said.
Testing begins at 7am and ends at 4.30pm in Ahuriri, near East Pier, for anyone over 18.
Key facts about chronic kidney disease
- One in 10 people globally have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and most don't know until it's serious
- CKD is often silent: people can lose up to 70 percent of kidney function before symptoms appear
- Māori and Pasifika have up to five times higher rates of kidney failure than other ethnicities
- Dialysis demand is projected to grow 30 percent by 2031, adding $150 million a year to national health costs
- Transplant rates are low and inequitable - Māori average 40 percent of dialysis patients but only 12 percent of transplants.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
