THE NATION, SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012
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•A participant undergoing diabetes screening
sustained abuse of analgesics and traditional herbs have been linked with kidney damage also. “Renal failure is often responsible for high levels of morbidity and mortality. High casualty rates and poor health are common with people suffering renal failure. The disease is also stressful to family members,” he said. It can take many years to go from chronic kidney disease to kidney failure and sometimes people with CKD live out their lives without ever reaching kidney failure. To Sokunbi, it was particularly disheartening that the disease occurs in a lot of young men and women, “who have end stage renal failure. They are often in their economic and active years, a group often with a potential to contribute to Nigeria’s GDP.” An example of this is Mozzyx, one half of the musical duo Fellyx and Mozzyx who made waves in the entertainment scene in the 90s. The singer and songwriter (real name Moses Ochie), is said to be critically ill with kidney-related problems. He has been diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and some other complications, such as liver and heart inflammation. The artiste has reportedly been undergoing dialysis three times a week since
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My advice is that those who have a history of diabetes in their family should go for check up and also watch what they eat. Then those who don’t have a history should check out for wounds and not to take it to a roadside chemist for treatment as some people do...
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Diabetes, renal failure, hypertension take toll on the young December 2011. The current doctor’s report states that his kidneys have packed up, which means he needs a kidney transplant urgently. “About two years ago, I was first admitted to a Lagos hospital, from where I was transferred to another to get life support. So, while that was going on, I knew that I would need a kidney transplant”, he said in an interview recently. Before Rev. Peter Monday Osoba became a regular visitor to a renal centre, he was a bubbling young man who had no qualms about life. Today, things have changed for this once ebullient clergyman. Apart from spending hard earned money on his health, he now suffers rejection in some quarters. “Early in December 5, 2011 I discovered that my body was swelling up. I was finding it difficult to urinate and pass excreta. It was difficult for me to eat without vomiting. My balance was a suspect as I staggered when walking and at times, I would fall down. I had pains all over my body,” Osoba recounted his experience when his illness first manifested. Initially, he was treated for typhoid and malaria, but it was like scooping water from the ocean as the sickness continued to deteriorate. Eventually he was diagnosed with kindney failure and ever since, he has been a constant visitor to a dialysis centre. “With the help of dialysis treatment from Kidney Clinics of Nigeria Dobs Centre, Kenta Idi Aba and the Federal Medical Centre, IdiAba, Abeokuta, Ogun State, I started receiving treatment,” he said. While many have died because of lack of support, Osoba has been a bit lucky. He enjoys financial assistance from his family members. “They (family members) rallied round at the initial stage, sought for money and they prayed for me.” He said managing his illness is very expensive as he spends an average of N70,000N120,000 weekly on dialysis. Kidney failure has robbed him of so many
•Osoba
things, including his job and family.”I have been unable to do my job again. My family and relationship with friends has suffered so much strain. My properties and business have also suffered a set back. I have also been unable to pay the children’s school fees. In fact as a father in the house, I have failed in my primary duties,” he said with regrets. If not for the renal failure, he would have continued with his pastoral work at the African Church, Egba Diocese, Abeokuta. Osoba is idle as a result of his ill-health. He suffers forms of discrimination from people, a situation that has made his case copmplex. Right now, he is appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to assist financially in his bid to get renal transplant. An expensive ailment Treating renal failure is an expensive venture. Experts put the cost of dialysis at about N5 million annually, a figure clearly beyond the reach of the average Nigerian. For a kidney transplant, a patient would need to cough out about N4 million and a further N150,000 monthly to get immunosuppressive drugs after a successful transplant. “In Nigeria, there is little or no access to
renal replacement transplant, meaning many people simply die. In essence, kidney failure is usually a death sentence if not detected early and managed appropriately,” said a medical practitioner. Said Sokunbi: “Renal failure in early stages may be managed by the use of medication and adopting special diets to ensure that failing kidneys are sustained for as long as possible. At end stage, the kidneys are no longer able to maintain the good health of the patient and their functions must be replaced by different renal replacement therapies like dialysis and kidney transplants. Dialysis involves passing the patient’s blood through a machine and artificial kidney for cleaning before returning it to the patient’s body. It is usually recommended to be done three times a week but most Nigerian patients cannot sustain this due to the cost. For this reason, dialysis patients are often very ill and die very often.” Considering the high cost of treating the disease, experts believe the best option is prevention. “Preventing renal failure is possible with healthy living. Also, known hypertensives and diabetes patients must take their medications for life. Losing weight will help in this regard a great deal,” Sokunbi noted. Another option is screening. The screening options that are available to pick up the early symptoms of kidney failure are blood pressure measurement, testing blood sugar level, urine test for protein and kidney function test. Once any of the causes is detected early enough, the best management option opened to the individual is drug treatment and management, which must be adhered to strictly for best result and the prevention of terminal renal disease. Prevention, the best medicine The best option, like in most other diseases, is prevention, according to health experts. “Keeping fit, keeping blood pressure under control, regular monitoring of blood pressure, healthy eating habit, quitting smoking, avoiding drug abuse and regular kidney check are some basic rules one must adhere to in order to prevent kidney failure,” says Sokunbi(See interview). He urged Nigerians to avoid lifestyles or habits like smoking, alcohol and drug abuse which could predispose them to kidney problems, adding that it is much easier to prevent the disease because there are inadequate health facilities for treating affected persons.