Ruby Rabiu
14 March 2008
Abuja — The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to desist from lifestyles that will endanger or jeopardise their kidneys, saying that the cost of treatment is expensive and not easily affordable.
The Minister of Health, Professor Adenike Grange, made the call during the celebration of the World Kidney Day themed "Amazing Kidneys". She said that although kidney diseases are on the rise in the country, it could be reduced if Nigerians engage in healthy living. The minister explained that prevention was still the best option in Nigeria: "The minimum cost of dialysis is N25,000 per session and if the patient would need a minimum of four sessions in a year, this would amount to N100,000." She pointed out that treatment of any kidney disease was very expensive and that most developing countries can not afford it.
According to her, most teaching hospitals should have dialysis centres, but research has shown that some of these machines are dysfunctional which has caused huge health burdens in the sector. Speaking on some of the ministry's limitations, she said "we are still lagging in the area of effective kidney transplantation, which is partly due to donor-recipient problem and after surgery management." Meanwhile the Kidney Support Association of Nigeria (KSAN) yesterday donated two machines to the National Hospital Abuja to set up a dialysis centre. Chairman of the KSAN, Mr Christopher Ezenwa, said one of the machines will be dedicated to the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients.
The Director General NACA, Mr Bob Oshotimeni, said his agency would partner with the kidney foundation to ensure that hospitals have adequate facilities that would cater for the welfare of HIV/AIDS patients in the country.
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