SAP Kidney Center: Empowering Lives through Preventive and Curative Renal Care

Claimed to be one of the silent Pandemic, kidney disease reportedly is the seventh leading cause of mortality worldwide. As per one of the last year’s studies, India itself records over one lakh cases of renal failure every year, with 10% of the total population suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the words of prominent nephrologists, the major causes for the alarming increase stem from overlooked diabetes, underdiagnosed hypertension, unhealthy food choices, subsequent obesity, excessive use of over-the-counter painkillers, and often, lack of access to proper treatment. The rising cases, on the other hand, foreground the pressing need for efficient nephrologists and medical centers dedicated to complete kidney care. But it is also imperative to choose the right care partner, who understands the critical nature of nephropathy, possesses extensive experience, and facilitates early intervention, treatment, and prevention of the diseases. Incorporated in 2018 in Hyderabad, SAP Kidney Center is one such healthcare avenue that has been effectively catering to the demand through an amalgam of well-equipped facilities, innovation-driven experts, unmatched prowess, and ethical practice—all geared towards offering the highest standard of individualized patient care at a reasonable price.

“Kidney is one of the most powerful organs in the human body. Closely linked to the brain and overall health, its decreased functioning can cause multiple conditions, such as low haemoglobin, seizures, fractures, and even heart failure. We, at SAP Kidney Center, focus predominantly on kidney health,” explains Dr. Mohammed Shoeb Ahmed Khan, a distinguished nephrologist and a major force behind SAP Kidney Center. “Unlike other hospitals, kidney is the only shining star for us, and we focus on very niche kidney care, offering state-of-the-art treatments, like advanced hemodiafiltration, available in only a few hospitals in Hyderabad and neighboring cities,” adds Dr. Shoeb Khan. Led by such a commendable veteran and like-minded workforce, the center has catered to over 10,000 patients until today and has carved out a unique position in diagnosing, treating, and managing renal transplantation, vascular access care, CKD, acute kidney injury (AKI), glomerular diseases, and other kidney-related illnesses.

The Key Hallmark

Embodying its tagline, SAP Kidney Center emphasizes leveraging the perks of prevention, care, and prayer, keeping the patients at the core of all its endeavors. Not just employing the prevention methods, but the center also prioritizes empowering the general public, educating them to avail early check-ups, intervention, and the ensuing therapeutic benefits. Social media broadcasts and weekly academic seminars serve as the perfect examples, in which its doctors speak with the general public, patients, and their respective attendants, about the patients’ illnesses and the ways through which attendants can protect their kidneys from potential damage. Designated as ‘kidney warriors’ by the clinic, the attendants shoulder the responsibility to communicate with 10 more diabetic patients about disease prevention.

SAP Kidney Center takes great pride in its multidisciplinary team of 60 specialists, who work around the clock to provide continuous support to the patients and their families throughout the treatment journey, in turn reflecting its second objective. Aiming to diagnose AKI, considering its reversible trait, the experts at the clinic adhere to the standards of the London Association of Kidney Injury (LAKI) and examine the patients for infection, sepsis, hypertension, urinary obstruction using ultrasound, and possible drugs that caused the disease, and perform kidney biopsy only if necessary. A CKD diagnosis is typically made only after three months, ultimately leading to dialysis, which, according to Dr. Shoeb Khan , can be avoided with early detection and prevention. “With great power comes great responsibility. Just because we hold the power to remove a stone or a kidney, we should not perform surgeries or put the patients under a ventilator unnecessarily. With prevention, we seek to reduce the need for new dialysis units and transplant centers,” opines Dr. Shoeb Khan.

Dr. Shoeb Khan always undertakes an empathetic and compassionate approach to mitigate the psychological impact of the disease on the patient and also advocates the same to his team and other healthcare practitioners. In cases where dialysis or transplant is the only option, the doctors at the clinic explain to the families of the patients about the condition and dialysis or donor options, while the patients are encouraged to understand their diseases using Google, Meta AI, ChatGPT, or other resources. Dr. Shoeb Khan perceives that researching helps patients as well as the doctors understand the reality of their condition and advises the same to other patients in the outpatient department. “If they begin to overthink, we are here to provide support and treatment,” assures Dr. Shoeb Khan. Upholding faith and spirituality in healing, the doctors also pray for the speedy recovery of their patients, which mirrors another integral part of the center’s practice.

Promoting Research and Education

In the continual pursuit for improving the treatments and quality of life, SAP Kidney Center has allocated 20% of all profits to research and innovation and constantly looks for ways to expand its knowledge repository. Fueling its learner’s mindset, the center is currently planning to collaborate with AYUSH doctors to practice advanced integrated medicine to research further about kidney stones. This, as Dr. Shoeb Khan says, creates a platform for doctors with a local yet loyal patient base to exhibit their talent and enable mutual learning. The clinic also seeks to continue its efforts to lessen the need for dialysis and spread kidney health awareness. “Although the early stages of kidney disease normally lack outward symptoms, there are some signs to watch for, such as muscle cramps or bubbles in the urine, hypertension in people younger than 30 years, and the development of facial puffiness. Hence, it is advisable to undergo regular check-ups, including blood tests like serum creatinine and eGFR, urine analysis, and an abdominal ultrasound scan. These tests can be particularly planned as a part of birthdays, anniversaries, or new-year resolutions,” concludes Dr. Shoeb Khan.

Dr. Mohammed Shoeb Ahmed khan, Nephrologist

Dr. Mohammed Shoeb Ahmed Khan is a Consultant Nephrologist & Transplant Physician with an impressive academic background, holding an MBBS, MD, DNB (Nephrology), ESENeph (Europe), and a PGDC in Diabetology from Boston, USA. He is the Director of Nephrology and Transplant Services at SAP Kidney Center and has established Telangana’s first and only women’s dialysis unit.