Deaths attributed to diseases of the genitourinary system in Karnataka have more than tripled over the past decade, rising from 5,940 medically certified deaths in 2016 to 18,730 in 2025, according to the latest Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) report.
The increase was particularly sharp after 2018. The number of medically certified deaths in this category rose from 7,402 in 2019 to 9,884 in 2021, 13,569 in 2022, 17,689 in 2024 and 18,730 in 2025.
Genitourinary diseases accounted for 11.8% of all medically certified deaths in Karnataka last year, making the category the state's third-largest cause of death after circulatory and respiratory diseases, The Times of India reported.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
The category is wider than kidney disease alone. It includes illnesses affecting the urinary system as well as certain diseases of the reproductive system.
ALSO READ: CDSCO Warns Against Antibiotics, Painkillers Overuse; Flags Chronic Kidney Disease Risks
Renal failure accounts for most deaths
Renal failure made up the bulk of deaths recorded under the category in 2025. There were 14,960 such deaths, accounting for nearly 80% of all medically certified genitourinary deaths and 9.4% of all medically certified deaths in the state.
Men accounted for 9,530 of these deaths, while 5,430 were women.
The majority of renal failure deaths were among older people. Those aged 45 and above accounted for 87.8% of the total, while people aged 70 and above accounted for 5,648 deaths, or 37.7%.
Dr Deepak Chitralli, consulting nephrologist at Manipal Hospital, Yeshwantpur, told The Times of India that the rise could be linked to several risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and changes in lifestyle.
He said poorly controlled diabetes can damage the kidneys and eventually lead to kidney failure. He also pointed to the close link between kidney and cardiovascular diseases, with each potentially worsening the other.
Chitralli also cautioned against unsupervised use of protein supplements, particularly among young people. He said some uncertified products could contain substances that may harm the kidneys, with prolonged exposure posing health risks.
What the data covers
The MCCD figures need to be read in context. The report covers only deaths for which a medical cause was certified. In 2025, nearly 1.6 lakh deaths were medically certified in Karnataka, accounting for 28.2% of all registered deaths in the state, The Times of India reported.
This means the figures do not capture every death in Karnataka and cannot be used to conclude that genitourinary or kidney-related deaths across the entire population increased at exactly the same rate.
The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India describes MCCD as part of the country's Vital Statistics System, which collects medically certified information on causes of death. The quality of medical certification can also vary across regions.
A 2025 study protocol by the ICMR-National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research noted that many deaths occur outside hospitals and may not have a medically certified cause of death.
The MCCD data therefore points to a sharp rise in medically certified deaths linked to genitourinary diseases in Karnataka, but it does not by itself explain the reasons for the increase or represent the state's overall mortality pattern.
ALSO READ: Bangladesh Measles Outbreak: 1,012 Deaths, 1.89 Lakh Cases Reported
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
