The global picture for chronic kidney disease is very grim. At least, about ten percent, that is, eight hundred and fifty million of the world population has one form of kidney disease. In Nigeria, the spectre looks even scarier. Statistics show that more than 20 million Nigerians are living with the dreaded disease; 20,000 develop end-stage kidney damage annually and thus require dialysis and, in the end, organ transplant to continue to live.
Dialysis costs a patient at least N50,000 per session and they would need three weekly totalling around N600,000 monthly. Kidney transplant costs a minimum of N10 million, aside other expenses like bed space and medications. Consequently, many Nigerians succumb to the grim ripper due to lack of funds to battle chronic kidney disease successfully.
It is more expensive to do it outside, whether in India or the United Kingdom where a top Nigerian family is entangled in a legal web of illegal organ harvesting. The couple were arrested last year for allegedly trafficking a minor to the UK in order to harvest his kidney for their daughter who has the disease.
It was against this backdrop of rising kidney disease in the country that worried citizens marked World Kidney Day, WKD, earlier this month on March 9. The day, since 2006, draws awareness to the debilitating ailment. That year, the International Society of Nephrology, ISN, and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations – World Kidney Alliance, IFKF-WKA, collaborated to address the health problem associated with kidneys globally. Since then, countries and organisations have used the day to promote excellent kidney health for the people.
The theme for the 2023 World Kidney Day was ‘Kidney Health for Everyone – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the Vulnerable.’ The campaign focussed on raising awareness about disastrous events, natural or man-made, international or local, and their impact on people living with kidney disease whose access to appropriate diagnostic services, treatment, and care is hindered.
But the key issue in Nigeria has to do with increased awareness and more equipment for early detection and treatment. Medical experts decry a situation in which a five-stage disease would only be detected at the last point when dialysis and transplant are the options. About 20,000 people get to this stage annually. But worse still is the fact that all dialysis units in the country can cater for just about 5,000 patients. The end results have been deaths of many people from kidney failure, even in their prime.
We call on governments at all levels to accord chronic kidney disease the attention it deserves in our health budgets and provide more access to medications at affordable costs to the people. At personal levels, Nigerians should be more conscious of the need to focus on early detection and prevention. Such diseases as diabetes, hypertension often lead to kidney problems, especially when sufferers resort to self medication.
Experts warn that between 30 and 40 percent of adult Nigerians have hypertension but unfortunately may not be aware of it. Other factors that predispose a person to chronic kidney disease are chronic infections such as hepatitis B and C, and sickle cell anaemia, painkillers, and bleaching creams.
Conditions and lifestyles that predispose people to kidney problems should be avoided as prevention is always better than cure.
WRITTEN BY TONY OKAFOR
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