As part of efforts to increase kidney awareness in Nigeria, the Healing Stripes Hospital in collaboration with doctors from Vikram Hospital, India, has organised a three-day free kidney screening, as well as one free haemodialysis session for the duration of the medical programme.
The screening, which was held at the hospital premises, witnessed several participants who were being checked for the quality of their kidney or who were being prepared for haemodialysis.
Speaking with THISDAY, the Medical Director, Dr. Ezinne Onyemere, said the medical outreach was created so as to raise awareness on kidney diseases, how to prevent it, as well as what to do to effectively manage it, adding that, it was also aimed at giving relief to people who already have kidney problems.
“We know the financial implications of running dialysis; hence 60 free sessions were given for the three-day programme to relieve our renal patients. So, any renal patient who visits within the three days will at least get a dialysis session free of charge.
“We know how expensive it is to undergo dialysis in Nigeria, so we have also reduced the cost of a dialysis session to N25,000 so that more Nigerians can afford the treatment. According to her, it was also an opportunity for renal patients to interact with the doctors from Vikram Hospital so as to know if they maybe needing kidney transplant.
“One of the greatest challenges faced in this country is that the cost of dialysis is very high. We have identified this, and that is why we have reduced the price of dialysis and then increase our dialysis machine from three to 10. Also, most Nigerians are not conscious of their health and they do not want to know, probably because healthcare in the country is not as accessible as it is suppose to be.
“We have been doing dialysis for two years and coincidentally this is the second year this dialysis centre has been in service. Vikram Hospital in India is where we send our patients to if they want to go for transplant. So far we have sent nine of our patients over there, five of them are back and they are doing well.
But, what exactly are the symptoms of kidney diseases? The MD said kidney diseases unfortunately, does not present symptoms until when about 90 per cent of the kidney functions have been damaged. “This is why it is very important for people to go for checkups often. That is only when they will know they are having kidney issues that need to be checked before it finally packs up.”
On the prevention, she said Nigerians should keep fit, be active, monitor their blood pressure, keep regular control of their blood sugar level, eat healthy, keep their weight in check, avoid smoking, among others. According to her, that undergoing kidney function check was also a good way of preventing the scourge.
She also explained that the hospital was an initiative of Redeem Christian Church of God, City of David Parish.
Also lending his voice, a Nephrologist, Dr. Vidy Ashankar, said the team from India were in the country to corroborate with Healing Stripes Hospital for the free medical outreach as well as do routine test, blood test, urine tests for participants and ascertain the quality of their kidney.
“We advise those diagnosed of kidney diseases to adjust their lifestyle, stop smoking, adopt special diets, give them medicines which protect the kidney from further damages, among other measures for the management of their kidney.”
He noted that if the kidneys are damaged beyond 90 per cent, they advise patients to undergo kidney transplantation, which he said were successfully done in their hospital in India. The dialysis is more like a management process not a prevention. What the dialysis does to function as an artificial kidney. It can only do 70 per cent of the kidney functions.
He, however stated that for a damaged kidney, it was advisable that the patients undergo transplantation.
A participant, Mr. Ubani Mellamy lauded the initiative of the hospital and RCCG, adding that other christian bodies should take up humanitarian gestures like this for the betterment of Nigerians.
By: Martins Ifijeh and Judith Akporherhe
This day News
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