Free kidney treatment for neighours

Medinat Kanabe writes about a hospital that decided to offer free kidney check-up in its neighbourhood.

When some Lagosians residing along the Lekki area of the state visited the Healing Stripes Hospital, Lekki last week, their intention was to just go for a normal check-up but they ended up discovering that their kidneys were not functioning well.

It was the annual free medical camp by the hospital and this year, it decided to do kidney health awareness; free kidney screening, free medical consultation with Nephrologists and free haemodialysis. This was to mark two years of operations of the dialysis centre.

During the three days that the free medical service lasted, about 20 new cases of kidney disease were discovered.

The routine was for patients to go in, register, see the doctors for their vital signs, go for blood and urine tests and then see the Nephrologist with the result and hear what next.

The doctors, Vidya Shankar, a Consultant Nephrologist and transplant physician and Prakash, a Radiologist are from the Vikram Hospital, Bangalore, India. According to them, they came to partner with the hospital in seeing patients for free medical services. “We do free screening for the patients through urine test to know if they need to be treated or if they need dialysis, then they are treated or go through the free dialysis.”

They advised avoidance of excessive alcohol intake and smoking, consumption of red meat, obesity, and engaging in regular exercises, avoid driving in traffic which he said can stress the lungs, and stay away from gas pollution, to avoid kidney diseases.

New way to save costs

They also noted that kidney dialysis and treatment is ten times more expensive in Nigeria than in India. To make organ transplant cheaper they advised against burying the dead with their organs. For instance, “In India, if someone is brain dead, we can use the person’s kidney for another person. That is how it is done in many countries. We have cadavers that are used so Nigerians too should start having cadavers.”

They explained that kidney damage is irreversible except a transplant is done. “A damaged kidney cannot come back to normal because the cells are dead so it is better if it is discovered early and something is done. When it is discovered early, it can be treated with medicine but when it becomes severe, it can only be treated through replacement therapy. A person can live a normal life if he goes through kidney transplant. ”

They called on government to help in the control of import duties so that equipment, drugs and other consumables can come into the country cheap.

For Mr. Owoicho Benard, 39, an Electrical Engineer, who has been battling kidney disease and undergoing dialysis for two years, it was an opportunity for him to undergo one session of dialysis and save N25, 000 even though he has already spent N4.5m on dialysis.

The Benue State indigene said: “I discovered I had kidney disease two years ago. I have been going to Gbagada General Hospital every two weeks for dialysis but I heard about this free dialysis and came.”

The father of two called on well meaning Nigerians to help in paying for his dialysis stating that the company where he used to work paid for him until July this year when he was retrenched.

On her part, the Managing Director of the hospital, Dr. Ezinne Onyemere, told The Nation that they will be giving 60 free dialysis sessions to 60 people.

She said that kidneys are complicated and amazing organs that do many tasks to keep one healthy. “The main job of the kidney are to make urine, remove wastes and extra fluid from the blood, control your body’s chemical balance, help control your body’s blood pressure, help keep your bones healthy, help you make red blood cells.

“A person can lose up to 90 per cent of their kidney function before experiencing any symptoms. Early detection is the first step in treating chronic kidney disease. Symptoms of kidney disease includes Nausea and vomiting, passing only small amounts of urine, swelling, particularly of the ankles, and puffiness around the eyes, unpleasant taste in the mouth and urine- like odour to the breath, persistent fatigue or shortness of breath, persistent high blood pressure, muscle cramps, especially in the legs, pale skin, excessively dry, itchy skin, and loss of appetite. In children it is increased fatigue and sleepiness, decrease in appetite, and poor growth.”

She said ways to prevent it includes keeping fit and active, monitor one’s blood pressure, keep regular control of one’s blood sugar level, eat healthy, keep one’s weight in check, maintain a healthy fluid intake, do not smoke and do not take over the counter pills on a regular basis.

A 32 year old patient, Miss Okechukwu McJossy who spoke with The Nation said she heard about the free medical camp through a mail, and saw it as an opportunity to be part of it.

First published in The Nation of October 18, 2015