A report released on Tuesday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), on the treatment of end-stage organ failure, stated that there has been a 57% increase in renal failure cases in the decade from 1999- 2009.

Diabetes seemed to the main reason for last stage renal failure and was also recognized as the cause for 35% of fresh cases. Obesity, smoking, hypertension are other risk factors that can lead to kidney failure. Besides, aborigines and the senile are also vulnerable to disease.

Dr. John Gill, a Vancouver-based kidney transplant physician and CIHI adviser, stressed that the issue was significant from the perspective of public health. He said, "It's not a disease that presents pain or some overt symptom. It can be fairly silent".

The Kidney Foundation of Canada affirmed that, out of the 4,167 Canadians listed for organ transplant as of Dec. 31, 2009, 2,941, or almost 71%, were waiting for a kidney.

The report also found that live-donor kidney donation has greatly augmented kidney transplants in the past decade. However, according to Dr. Gill, live-donor donation may have improved the situation but it is not a permanent solution to the problem.

The data used in the study was drawn from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register. The study also ascertained that the demand for transplant of kidneys exceeded the demand for transplant of any other organ.