Medics in the Ashanti Region are alarmed at the rate of chronic kidney diseases recorded in the region, as cases have quadrupled with 7 in every 10 patients reporting to the hospitals with late stages of kidney failure.
The region’s worrisome statistics constitutes a major part of the national data which puts the prevalence rate of Chronic Kidney Diseases at 13.3% implying that at least thirteen out of a hundred Ghanaians suffer from CKD.
Specialist nephrologist with the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and CEO for Kidney Care International Dr. Elliot Koranteng Tannor blames the surge on the prevalent intake of unauthorized herbal medications; chemical residue from galamsey activities and unhealthy lifestyle habits.
People are taking all kinds of herbal medications without knowing what is doing to their kidneys; people are taking all kinds of painkillers; some are not even drinking enough water, alcohol, smoking and the galamsey exposing us to mercury are all increasing the numbers.
Dr. Elliot K. Tannor also pointed to the rising rate of infections like HIV and other Non-Communicable diseases like hypertension, Hepatitis and Diabetes as underlying factors predisposing another critical mass of people to Chronic Kidney Diseases.
Dr. Tannor further expressed worry that whereas other countries are seeing kidney patients above 60years, the average age of Chronic Kidney Disease patients in Ghana is less than 50 years.
“Unlike other places where people get kidney disease when they are advanced in age in their 70s, 80s or above 60s; here in Ghana, they are tending to get it at a younger age. Out average age of people with kidney failure on dialysis is about 46,47 years less than 50,” he noted.
This year’s theme for world kidney day commemorated annually on the second Thursday of March; ‘Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect early, protect kidney health,” reechoed the need for people to avail themselves for regular health checkup.
Programs director for Healthy Hearts Africa a program implemented by PATH, Dr Robert Yeboah lauded the theme warning that kidney conditions hardly present any noticeable symptoms until things get worse.
“Most of these symptoms are silent and you will not see any overt symptoms till much later. It’s important that we avail ourselves for regular screening so that we know our status,” he admonished.
Globally, an estimated 700 million people suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD),
The total prevalence of kidney disease reaches around 850 million constituting more than 10% of the world’s population when persons with acute kidney injury (AKI) and kidney failure are added to this number.
