Make kidney care part of PHC programme, VC urges FG

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The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Fatiu Arogundade, has said chronic kidney disease still constitutes a significant health burden on the country’s population, and called for efforts to improve the knowledge of the disease among the people.

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Arogundade, a Professor of Medicine and Nephrology, disclosed this on Tuesday while delivering inaugural lecture series 430 of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on the campus of the institution.

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The ex Registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, in the lecture titled: “The Burden, barriers, bottleneck and breakthroughs in the management of kidney disease in Nigeria: A journey from the grassroots to the frontiers,” said CKD affects people in their productive years, hence the need to tackle it with improving the knowledge of kidney health among Nigerians.

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The medical practitioner, who suggested that kidney care be incorporated into the primary health care programme of the country, called for early detection of kidney disease in children through screening at pre admission levels from nursery to the tertiary institutions level.

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“Kidney diseases particularly CKD still constitute a significant burden affecting a fifth of our population, though only 1 out of every 40 manifest symptoms at any point in time.

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“If affects Nigerians in their economically productive years hence constituting a major drain on our national resources. The effort to confront the problem of CKD should therefore commence with improving the knowledge of kidney health of the general population.

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“Kidney care should therefore be incorporated into the primary health care programme and it should include early detection of kidney disease in childhood necessitating screen at the pre-admission levels for nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions,” Arogundade said.

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He also recommended improved awareness education, screening, treatment for hypertension, diabetes, including prompt treatment of infections including Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy treatment for HIV to reduce the burden and progression of its associated kidney disease.

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He also harped on the need to avoid recognised risk factors such as smoking, unrestricted consumption of analgesics, use of bleaching cream, unguarded use of local concoctions and exposure to environmental toxins like hydrocarbon.

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“Chronic kidney disease has assumed epidemic proportion and is a major public health issue globally. There is need for a national kidney care policy to provide a coordinated kidney care and set standards for every Nigerian.

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“Access to life saving procedures such as dialysis or transplantation must be made available to all Nigerians whether rich or poor, male or female, young or old, the city or rural dwellers, public servants, the farmers, student, government officials, or politician, this is the task that must be undertaken by all of us,” he added.

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The PUNCH earlier reported that Arogundade said the Federal Government was already taking deliberate steps to address the growing challenges confronting Nigeria’s health sector, particularly the increasing migration of medical professionals abroad.

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Arogundade stated this while speaking at a reception organised in his honour following his appointment as the pioneer vice chancellor of the Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

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He described the establishment of the new medical universities as part of the government’s strategy to strengthen healthcare manpower and bridge personnel shortages in the country.

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Speaking at the reception, the nephrologist expressed surprise at the honour done to him, noting that he remained humbled by the support and goodwill of senior colleagues, associates and stakeholders in the medical and academic communities.

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