KUALA LUMPUR: Kidney disease is on the rise in Malaysia, where at least 15 percent of the population are affected, with many unaware of their condition, officials and health experts have warned.

A recent study by Malaysia’s Ministry of Health showed that the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the South Asian country had jumped over the past seven years from 9 to 15 percent.

CKD is one of the main contributors to premature deaths worldwide.