DHAKA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of kidney patients in Bangladesh is on the rise and during the last 10 years the number doubled to reach 20 million, local media reported Monday.

    According to the Kidney Foundation in Dhaka, about 1 million new patients are being added to the total number annually. The foundation estimates the number of patients was 10 million in 1997,which doubled this year, said Bangla-language daily Ittefaq.

    The report mentioned diabetes, nephritis and hypertension as the main reasons for kidney damage.

    Since the treatment facilities are limited in this South Asian country, most of kidney patients are going to neighboring India and other developed countries for treatment, making the country lose millions of hard earned foreign exchange annually, the report said.