Three joint Units of Nigerian Health Workers have advised Nigerians to always undergo regular medical checkups to guard against kidney problem.
The advice was given, in Abuja, on Thursday, during à medical screening at the GSM community, Wuse Zone 1, to commemorate World Kidney Day, celebrated on March 11 every year.
The three units included, the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN) International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the Medicine and Dialysis Unit, Wuse District Hospital (WDH), Abuja.
Dr Salihu Kwaifa, a Consultant Physician and Nephrology, said the units were in the community to sensitise and educate the people about the need for regular checkups on kidney diseases.
Kwaifa, who is also the Head of Department, Medicine dialysis of the WDH, said it was necessary to detect early, if one was having a kidney problem, hence the need for the campaign to know the necessary measure to take against the problem.
“Having a kidney problem is not a death sentence, it can be treated when the disease is early and that is one of the essence of this outreach to sensitise the community.
“And for those who are already with the disease, we are here to tell them the basic things they need to observe, you can live a normal life if you observe all the protocols and this will make your kidney not to decline.
“This medical check-up is also to ascertain if they are having hypertension or diabetics, because these two diseases are the chief causes of kidney diseases in the human body,’’ Kwaifa said.
Mrs Erdoo Haaga, Chief Nursing Officer in charge of dialysis Unit WDH, took the people through a lecture on what to eat and what not to eat, for all those who turned up for the screening.
She counselled people against regular alcoholic intake, taking of too much salt, regulation of sugar level in the body, avoidance of too much high fried foods, high protein foods to avoid kidney damage.
Haaga also advised them to be wary of the kind of food they ate, especially when they discovered they had high blood pressure and to ensure eating more vegetables and fruits.
Dr Chikaodinaka Ezeokeke, Senior Medical Officer WDH, advised Nigerians to always stay healthy and to eat the right food at the right time, including consuming at least three litres of water before the close of the day, and to be regular with their HIV/AIDs checkups.
“Stay healthy, stay fit, eat right at the right time, take a lot of water, screen yourself for HIV/AIDS, stay safe and cool,’’ she stressed.
Nurse Akinwumi Ore-Ofe noted that kidney transplant in Nigeria was expensive, as it needed a lot of money to undergo the dialysis, and urged Nigerians to always take care of their bodies.
Ore-Ofe also urged well-meaning Nigerians to show love, by assisting those with kidney problems to get treated.
“We want to encourage people, whose relations are suffering from kidney disease, to show kindness, support in whatever area they need help to ensure that they live longer and give them a good ending,’’ she said.
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