ICMR clears Rs 6.2-cr Uddanam kidney research project

Vijayawada: Health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav on Wednesday announced that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved a comprehensive, three-year scientific study to identify the causes of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) rampant in the Uddanam region of Srikakulam district. The ICMR will release a total grant of Rs 6.2 crore in three phases to execute the project under its department of health research.

The minister said the approval comes after sustained engagement with the ICMR since March, initiated by the health department under the guidance of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

He said the research, titled the ‘Srikakulam Kidney Research Project’, aims not just to detect existing cases but also to identify individuals likely to develop kidney disease within one or two years, enabling early intervention.

He said the study will also focus on identifying environmental triggers responsible for disease clusters, including contamination or exposure linked to soil, water, food and air.

In the first phase, researchers will collect blood and urine samples from 5,500 randomly selected individuals, all above 18 years of age across the Uddanam region. The samples will be tested using modern biomarkers to assess early signs of kidney damage. Dr. Raviraj, former vice chancellor of NTR Health University and senior nephrologist associated with earlier studies in Uddanam, said RNA-based genetic testing will also be conducted to determine whether affected individuals carry genetic predispositions.

“About 18 per cent of every 100 residents here show abnormal kidney function, a pattern not seen anywhere else in the world,” he said.

For this purpose, the ICMR will establish a dedicated laboratory at Andhra Medical College (AMC), Visakhapatnam. The organisation will supply advanced equipment and appoint specialised technicians and research personnel.

Funding of Rs 3.04 crore will be released in the first year, Rs 1.75 crore in the second year and Rs 1.21 crore in the third year.

The minister said earlier research commissioned during the 2014–19 TDP government was halted due to the “negligence and lack of follow-through” by the previous YSRCP government.