There's a "silent" killer disproportionately targeting Australia's aboriginal people, and it's called kidney disease.
Research from Menzies School of Health Research says that indigenous Australians have kidney disease rates 4-5 times higher than non-Indigenous people, and younger people (in their 20s and 30s) are being diagnosed with the disease. Sadly, 90% of people with chronic kidney disease don't even know that they have it. Menzies says that over 700 aboriginal people are on life-saving dialysis from the North Territory -- most dialysis patients have to leave their families and communities for treatment. Unfortunately, that figure is expected to increase to 1,000 in the next few years.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Kidney experts recommend creating a national task force that will partner with aboriginal communities to address this health crisis. For instance, diet initiatives that focus on accessible and affordable healthy foods can reduce the risks of diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Sign and share this petition urging Australia to create a national task force, with an emphasis on prevention, to address this growing health crisis that's disproportionately affecting aboriginal Australians.
