Dr. Ebun Bamgboye, a nephrologist and clinical director at St. Nicholas Hospital, has expressed alarm about the burden of kidney illness in Nigeria, saying that many are dying because they can’t afford things like dialysis.
The warning came on World Kidney Day, which is a global health event that takes place every second Thursday in March to raise awareness of the importance of kidney health and the rising number of kidney-related ailments, according to The Nation.
Dr. Bamgboye spoke at the 20th World Kidney Day and the 26th anniversary of kidney transplant services at the hospital. He said that kidney disease is a major public health concern that needs to be dealt with right now.
He said that studies have shown that roughly 10% of each population has chronic renal disease. If we use that estimate on Nigeria’s population of more than 230 million, it means that about 23 million Nigerians could already be affected.
Bamgboye said that one of the worst things about chronic renal disease is that it often gets worse without any signs until the kidneys collapse.
“Once the kidneys stop working and the patient doesn’t get treatment, they will die. He stated, “Every year, thousands of people get kidney failure and need dialysis or a transplant.”
But he did say that getting therapy is still a big problem for a lot of patients. Dialysis is necessary for people with renal failure to stay alive. It costs between N50,000 and N100,000 per session and is usually needed three times a week.
“Very few people can afford to get dialysis for a long time. There are less than 10,000 people in Nigeria who are now getting dialysis. He remarked, “That means a lot of people who need treatment are dying.”
The nephrologist further said that high blood pressure and diabetes are two of the most frequent ailments that contribute to kidney failure in Nigeria. He also said that many Nigerians don’t know they have these diseases.
“Only about 30 percent of people with high blood pressure know they have it, and of those who do, only a small number get the right treatment,” he said.
Bamgboye went on to say that diseases like malaria, hepatitis, and other long-term infections do better in warmer, more humid places. This raises the risk of kidney damage, especially when combined with dehydration.
He underlined how important it is to avoid and find things early, and he advised Nigerians to live healthy lives.
“The greatest way to deal with a problem is to stop it before it happens. Bamgboye said, “Exercise regularly, avoid becoming overweight, keep an eye on your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, drink plenty of water, and don’t take too many over-the-counter drugs.”
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