• … CKD spike  alarming, worrisome – Prof Amodu
• ….Over 20 million persons currently suffering from CKD – Prof Ulasi
• ….Cost of treatment beyond average income earners
• …As Nigerian gov’t urged to look inwards for cure

Nigerians in their numbers are grappling with  kidney disease and failure, while the cost of treatment eludes many patients, JULIET IBIMINA writes.

As Nigerians continue to find ways to adjust to current economic realities, foremost phyto medicine researcher in the country, and Professor of phyto medicine from the Triune Biblical University, USA, Professor Benjamin Amodu, has warned that chronic kidney disease, including kidney failure is disturbingly on the rise.

Speaking to the Gleamer Newspapers in Abuja over the weekend, Prof Amodu said: “Currently patients suffering from kidney disease and failure is rising at a very alarming rate.

There is no week I don’t get between 3 and 5 patients being rushed here for treatment.

“So we need to ask ourselves why it is becoming an everyday affair now, not just Chronic Kidney Disease, CKD and even kidney failure, but even liver cancer too

He said he has been treating several patients for CKD and kidney failure over the years.

Findings by this newspaper reveal that the prevalence of CKD amongst Nigerians is becoming very alarming.

For instance, speaking to journalists after the recent Masaka Market fire outbreak, one respondent told the sad story of her aunt, popularly known as Mama G, who collected a loan to stock her two shops in preparation for the yuletide season sales so as to raise money for kidney transplant only for both shops to be completely razed by fire. She said in October, Mama G was diagnosed of Stage 4, Chronic Kidney Disease, CKD and is billed to go for transplant. 

According to Amaka’s cousin who spoke to this medium since Amaka couldn’t speak even through sobs said:

“Her mum who is my aunt is very sick in the hospital and awaiting to raise the N15,000,000 (fifteen million Naira) needed for kidney transplant.

“In order to raise money for the transplant plus other ancillary expenses, my aunt had to take a loan in order to stock her three shops in this market so she could pay back by the end of January and proceeds to India in February for the transplant.

“She’s a widow and has no helper so now that everything is gone, how can she pay up the loan and proceed for the transplant?”Currently we do not know how to break the news to her, and we are aware that she used the house her husband built as collateral that is why you see her daughter is not able to speak coherently.

“Similarly, a study published by Africa Journal Online mid last year, showed that the prevalence of CKD is high in the Northern district of Yobe State. The report indicated that the origin of the disease is “unknown” and recommended further studies “to define environmental or cultural factors that contribute to the high prevalence in this region.

“The figures have been alarming, said the Chief Medical Director (CMD) at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu, Baba-Waru Goni. The professor said his hospital conducts more than 60 dialysis sessions weekly.According to a foremost Chronic Kidney Disease, CKD prevention activist, Ifeoma Ulasi, a Professor of Medicine/Consultant Physician and Nephrologist, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsuka, UNN, disclosed that CKD has become prevalent in Nigeria with about 20 million persons currently suffering from the disease.

She noted that there were multiple factors causing kidney diseases, apart from genetics, adding that the nation’s health insurance needed to be reviewed to cater for people with the disease.

“The prevalence of kidney disease is about eight to 12 percent of the Nigerian population; it could be more, but as you may well know, many of our people don’t report to the hospital on time.

“They would have tried one or two alternative practices like native doctors or turned to spiritual houses to seek attention; we don’t get to see them early, but we believe it is about eight to 12 percent.

“So, if you work it out, 10 percent will be about 20 million Nigerians having kidney diseases.“There are so many practices apart from us being genetically predisposed to kidney diseases.

“There are some practices that are not very good for our kidney health; oftentimes, some women use some medicated soaps that contain mercury; this is not good for the kidney,” she said.On her part, Dr Adanze Asinobi, a paediatric nephrologist, said that women should be well-nourished so as to give birth to healthy babies.

According to her, low birth weight contributes to prevalence of kidney diseases in children, hence the need for women to be wary of using bleaching cream and soap.

“If they have low birth weight or they are premature, their organs won’t develop well. Their kidney starts up having smaller numbers because there is a range for a functional kidney unit.

“If units are small from the beginning, then such a child is at risk of developing kidney disease more than the healthy individuals.

Therefore, hypertension may have its origin in childhood.”Speaking further, Prof Amodu said authorities in the health sector should not take this alarming rise passively.

“That is what officials in the health sector and in the Federal Ministry of Health as well as the Nigerian Center for Disease Control, NSCDC, as well as other relevant agencies in the health sector should do.

“I say this because virtually all my patients have all been to the hospitals for treatment. It is when they seem not to be getting better that they rush down to us here,” he said.

Continuing, he said: “But one thing I thank God for is that patients have continued to contact us and those we have successfully treated are not keeping quiet about it.

“Right now we have the needed solution for diabetes, High Blood Pressure, enlarged heart, issues with the eye like cataract, glaucoma etc, malaria, enlarged prostrate, diabetic ulcer, and many more.

”He then called on the ministry of health and all it’s agencies to take the increasing cases of liver cancer as well as kidney issues seriously.

“Let us look inward for solutions to the health issues disturbing our people so we can begin to attract medical tourism to Nigeria,” he stressed.

Despite the spike, the cost of treatment of CKD is beyond the reach of average and low income earners. Currently, the average cost of a session of hemodialysis is N40,000 in government hospitals, but higher in private facilities.

Usually, patients from tage 3 renal disease are always advised to go for transplant. Though the cost of transplant costs relatively less between 3.5 and 5 million Naira in government hospitals in Nigeria if a patient finds a compatible donor, it costs between 8 and 15 in public hospitals.It usually costs higher when treatment is sought overseas especially when cost of return tickets for the patient and at least one caregiver, plus cost of hotel accommodation and other ancillary expenses is added.

However, many patients do not know that on average, a kidney transplant from a living donor lasts for 20-25 years, while a kidney from a deceased donor lasts 15-20 years. But for many, it usually does not last for up to half the average.

However, Prof Amodu who is at the forefront of phyto medicine research and cure says at his facility, the African Alternative Medicine Hospital, his patients usually have no need for dialysis even those in end-stage renal disease or kidney failure.

He says with his treatment, both kidneys of his patients are usually revived and  perform optimally, adding that the cost of treatment at his facility is much cheaper than at the orthodox treatment centers.One of his patients who spoke to our reporter, George Emine, said: 

“In October 2020 I was diagnosed of Stage 5 or end-stage kidney disease , otherwise known as kidney failure. As a journalist who had seen patients of Hepatitis B virus, diabetes and other killer diseases completely cured after receiving treatment from the African Alternative Medicine Hospital, I immediately rushed to meet Prof Amodu and he began treatment same day.

“At the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, I was placed on three sessions of dialysis weekly and told to raise the sum of N36 million Naira for my transplant. But at his facility I was asked to pay just N10 million Naira and without any dialysis session, without tapping to drain the fluid retained in my body as my face, stomach and feet were all swollen, the fluid dried up and both my kidneys were certified perfectly okay in a little over a year.”