Dhaka, Nov 26 (Xinhua) One in every seven people in Bangladesh suffers from kidney diseases and 40,000 die annually from kidney-related complications, The Daily Star newspaper reported Wednesday. Experts told a convention and scientific seminar here Tuesday that about 20 million people are now suffering from kidney ailments as against 10 million a decade ago.

Kidney Foundation, Bangladesh, a non-profitable organization, arranged the fourth national convention and scientific seminar here on prevention of chronic kidney disease.

The experts at the seminar said the rate of chronic kidney disease was nine percent in the country 10 years ago, but it may rise to 28-30 percent in the next 10 years.

President of Kidney Foundation Harun-Ur-Rasid said lack of awareness among the people is responsible for increasing number of kidney patients in the country.

In the context of kidney patients, doctors and experts said replacing dead cells of damaged kidney with stem cells without transplant and dialysis could open up great possibilities of medical treatment.

However, Bangladesh is yet to start research on stem cells, he said.