The minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehahire has said that, the collation of a comprehensive data and the need to establish national as well as sub-regional CKD registries infrastructure for both dialysis and transplantation is crucial to tacking chronic kidney diseases (CKD).
“there is also need to increase the number as well as the distribution of units offering these services.” He added
Enahire made the statement at the International Conference/Public Lecture tagged: Chronic Kidney Disease: Stop the Epidemic in Africa; (Kidney Health for Everyone, Everywhere) recently in Lagos.
The minister who was represented by Dr Bello Babawale, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos said the number of units offering dialysis and kidney transplantation in the country has steadily increased in the last few years.
According to him, the increase has taken place both in the public and private sectors. Adding that, the government through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was providing funding for both acute dialysis and kidney transplantation to individuals registered with the scheme.
He however, encouraged screening of all patients with diabetes and hypertension for CKD and advised education of all medical professionals on their key role in detecting and reducing the risk of CKD, particularly in high risk populations.
For him, the important role of local and national health authorities in controlling the CKD epidemic is necessary.
On the way forward, he disclosed that, if detected early, there is a possibility of preventing kidney failure. Transplantation as a best-outcome option for kidney failure, and the act of organ donation as a life-saving initiative is key.
“Also funding, policy and regulation and stopping the tide of brain drain would also go a long way in reducing CKD,” he said.
Speaking on the current situation in Nigeria, Enahire said that the Nigerian Association of Nephrology had established a National Renal Registry.
He also revealed that mapping of states with high prevalence of CKD and evaluation of the aetiology like Yobe state with suspected high levels of heavy metals in the ground water and a mandatory diabetes screening of all patients presenting at federal government hospitals is ongoing.
Also speaking at the event, Lagos State First Lady, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said that kidney disease is widely acknowledged to be a major terminator of precious lives, hence, the need for the state government intensify awareness.
She pointed out that, hospital-based findings revealed that about 13 per cent of Nigeria’s population suffered from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), which was capable of leading to kidney failure and results in death.
According to her, this percentage does not include patients who lack access to hospital care.
”However, available data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) equally show that about 2 million people in Lagos State are suffering from CKD. She noted
”For the administration of Mr Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, this is not acceptable and concerted efforts are being made to create awareness on the causes of the disease and the prevention methods to adopt to nip it in the bud and stop it from afflicting the people.
”The health and wellbeing of residents is paramount to this administration as aptly demonstrated in the Health and Environment component of the THEMES Agenda.
”The agenda is the policy thrust of Mr Governor’s vision for Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology; Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy; Entertainment and Tourism; as well as Security and Governance,” she said.
The First Lady said that the state government is doing all within its power to facilitate the reopening of the Cardiac and Renal Centre (CRC) in Gbagada to enhance screening and treatment of kidney related diseases.
”The State Government has also been conducting the State Wellness Week designed to create awareness and screen residents free of charge for Hypertension, Diabetics, Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer, among others. She added
She further disclosed that, the truth is that the awareness aspect is critical because people must be made to come to terms with the fact that they are, first of all, responsible for their health and wellbeing.
”It has been well-established that there are several ways to reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.
”Since prevention is far better than cure, we need to educate the people to embrace healthy lifestyle choices such as eating balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activities, and maintaining normal body weight, among others.
”Emphasis must also be emphatically placed on reducing the risk factors which include Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, smoking and obesity,” she said.
Sanwo-Olu commended the Kidney Foundation for Africa for creating awareness about the disease, supporting post-transplant patients with the very expensive drugs and patients on dialysis.
She also commended the foundation for firming up plans to build a Kidney Hospital which, upon completion, would drastically reduce the cost of transplantation, among others.
Also at the event, Dr Ebun Bamgboye, a Consultant Physician/Nephrologist said that the kidney failure prevalence in Africa, which is higher than anywhere else in the world, must be prevented by early detection.
Bamgboye said that the average African is four times more likely to develop kidney issues than the caucasians (white population).
He said that there is the need to recognise, identify and screen sicknesses like hypertension, diabetics, sickle cell to detect early enough for proper management and reducing speed of progression of renal failure.
”America spends close to $40 billion just to manage patients with kidney disease.
”Our National Health Insurance Scheme covers only a few sessions of dialysis. So we must ensure that policy makers and stakeholders are informed about the significance and magnitude of the kidney failure,” the Nephrologist said.
Prof. Mohamed NasrAllah, Consultant of Internal Medicine and Nephrology, Cairo University, Egypt said that Egypt provided full sponsorship for dialysis thrice weekly to reduce deaths from renal failure.
NasrAllah said that the Egyptian government sponsored up to half on cost of drugs after transplantation.
He urged for more training for the improvement of medical doctors caring for kidney patients.
This, NasrAllah said, would helped increase efficiency and reduce costs which would had been incurred by inefficiencies.
Also, Dr Esther Getambu, Consultant Physician and Nephrologist, East Africa said that Kenya, through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) paid for full dialysis and had medications for transplantation arrangements in the pipeline.
Prof. Alain Assounga, Head Nephrology Unit, Nelson Mandela School, South Africa said that South Africa’s goal was to improve ease of access to improved healthcare for those in the rural areas.
The Kidney Foundation for Africa was founded in 2009 by Late Dr Bose Peters, to explore ways and means of reducing morbidity and mortality due to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and kidney failure.
