Medics in Wajir raise alarm over rising cases of kidney failure in the region
Mohamed Adow, a researcher and nutritionist at the hospital, said 79 cases of kidney failure have been recorded in the recent past.
Doctors at the Wajir Referral Hospital have raised the alarm over increasing cases of kidney failure as the renal dialysis centre recorded 79 patients with kidney disease in the recent past.
The hospital, whose renal unit became operational in 2019, is currently overwhelmed by a big number of patients seeking dialysis services.
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Mohamed Adow, a researcher and nutritionist at the hospital, said 79 cases of kidney failure have been recorded in the recent past, forcing the hospital to refer some of the patients to private hospitals for their weekly dialysis.
"We are currently attending to 31 patients due to the capacity limits while 48 were being treated at private hospitals in Wajir," he said.
He revealed that the majority of the patients were people with diabetes and high blood pressure.
He projected those cases of kidney failure were likely to increase due lack of early screening and check-ups, and patients with diabetes and high blood pressure not taking their medication seriously, resulting in a bigger burden to them due to increased treatment costs.
He urged the residents of Wajir to go for regular check-ups to tame the rising cases. He further advised people to live a healthy lifestyle which includes doing exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.
Dr Samira Rashid, a physician at the Wajir Referral Hospital, said the increase in kidney disease in the county is worrying, and the public needs to be alert due to the cost burden and risks involved.
Early check-ups
"It is better to remain committed to prevention through early check-ups and other strategies. The kidney is a special organ and once it fails to function, it can lead to death," she warned.
She mentioned diabetes, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, smoking and chewing miraa, among others, as the major causes of kidney failure.
Ahmed Mohamed, 30, a father of six children, narrated the gruelling moments he has been undergoing as he battled with kidney failure since 2018. He was referred to seek medication in Nairobi since Wajir Hospital had no renal dialysis centre.
"I attended a weekly dialysis session which was an economic burden to my family. At least I am happy to be going to Wajir Referral Hospital instead of travelling to Nairobi like before," he said.
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