DHAKA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Over 20 million kidney patients are now in Bangladesh and the number of such patients is growing, experts said at a technical session of a conference in Dhaka Thursday.

    The conference was organized by Bangladesh Kidney Foundation, a private kidney treatment hospital. Experts from home and abroad attended the conference.

    Dr. Harun-ar-Rashid, chairman of the kidney department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said the number of kidney patients was 8 million in Bangladesh 10 years ago, but now the number is 20 million.

    He said nephritis, diabetes and high blood pressure cause the kidney disease. Kidneys of 40 percent of the patients become inoperative due to nephritis, 24 percent by diabetes and 15 percent by high blood pressure in Bangladesh.

    It was learnt that Kidney Foundation alone transplanted 47 kidneys on patients during the past one year ending on September 3 this year.

    Harun said poor patients cannot afford kidney transplantation as it is very costly. Moreover, availability of kidney is more difficult. Except the nearest relatives, nobody wants to donate kidney.

    He said they are considering a way out from the present state and find a breakthrough in kidney treatment.