Nigeria Records 17,000 New Cases of Kidney Disease Annually, Says Expert

March 19, 2016

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By Martins Ifijeh

The President of the Transplant Association of Nigeria (TAN), and the immediate past President of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology, Dr. Ebun Bamgboye, has disclosed that about 17,000 new cases of kidney disease was recorded in the country every year.
Dr. Bamgboye, who made this known recently at an event to commemorate the World kidney Day, decried the dearth of Nephrologists in the country, despite the alarming rate of people diagnosed with kidney disease.

“We have one of the largest burdens of kidney diseases in the world, hence the need for us to rise up to the occasion, otherwise, this would become a burden we can no longer handle.

“We don’t have enough Nephrologist in Nigeria. The country currently have a ratio of one Nephrologist to one million Nigerians.

Bamgboye, who is the Clinical Director, St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, explained that the only way to avoid kidney diseases was early detection and prevention, “and that is why this year’s world annual kidney day, organised by St. Nicholas Hospital has been tagged ‘Kidney Disease and Children. Act Early to Prevent It’ to protect the Nigerian child from kidney diseases at the early stage,” he explained.

According to him, the hospital’s event on the WKD has been strategically designed to education a minimum of 500 junior secondary school students on kidney health and early detection, and then to as well provide free kidney health screening for all kids in attendance at the Kings College Lagos Island, Holy Cross Catholic School, Lagos Island and Halifield Maryland.

Bamgboye, also said that people were dying from kidney disease because the cost of receiving proper care was high, which many Nigerians cannot afford and so hence the need for the government to intervene and subsidise the cost of care.

“The government can come in several aspects, first of all, the government should encourage all public hospitals to properly screen patients with hypertension and diabetes, so as to prevent them from developing kidney failure,” he explained.