The 176th seminar opened with an in-depth presentation by Dr Shal Kakkatil, who stressed the indispensable role of timely medical consultation in preventing and managing urinary and renal diseases. He issued a clear caution against self-medication, highlighting the risks of kidney damage, drug resistance, and complications arising from unsupervised drug use.

He advised that patients should first consult their family physician for initial evaluation and thereafter seek a urologist or nephrologist if necessary. Most urinary disorders arise after middle age due to hormonal shifts, anatomical changes, decreased immunity, and chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.