Kidney diseases on the increase in Ghana – Expert

Cases of kidney diseases are on the increase, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Dr Dominic Kumashie, the Medical Doctor in-charge of Police Hospital’s Dialysis Centre, said on Thursday.

He said in 2013 alone, the Centre recorded 1000 cases while 2014 recorded 2000 cases, representing a 100 per cent increment.

DSP Dr Kumashie was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the Enterprise Insurance and D-Med Health Care Limited made donations to the Centre to mark the World Kidney Day.

The theme for this year is: “Kidney Health For All”. Enterprise Insurance presented a cheque for GH¢67,600 to cover the cost of one dialysis machine while D-Med Health Care Limited donated two dialysis machines to the Police Hospital Dialysis Centre.

The donation was spearheaded by Health Education On Wheel (HEOW), a Non-Governmental Organisation in the health sector.

The HEOW and the Police Administration went into Public Private Partnership four years ago, leading to the establishment of the Centre.

Under the partnership, the Police Administration provided the space and staff for the facility while the HEOW provided the machines and consumables for treatment.

Dr Kumashie said a study conducted in the Accra Metropolis indicated that almost 50 percent of people with hypertension and diabetes had kidney problems.

He noted that in 2007, one out of 10 hypertensive patients had a kidney problem but now five out of every 10 hypertensive patients had kidney problems.

He mentioned uncontrolled blood pressure, protein in urine, recurrent urinal tract infections, early morning swollen face and feet, constant tiredness as some of the pointers and urged the public to consult their doctors frequently.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Seidu M. Zakaria, Medical Director in-charge of the Hospital, said the Centre would augment the facility at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and that he was grateful to HEOW for the continuous support to provide consumables and machines for the treatment of the disease.

He said the hospital would soon commission its Intensive Care Unit to help the public access quality treatment.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, thanked the two companies for the gesture and appealed to the public to lead healthier lifestyles and help to control kidney diseases.

Dr Sylvia Anie, Chairman of the Board of Directors, HEOW, urged the public to keep checking their health status and continue to monitor and manage their health conditions.

Dr Godfried A. Nyante, Chairman of the HEOW Board, said the Day was set aside to create awareness and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney diseases and the associated problems globally.

He said: “Our kidneys are vital and they must be given proper attention and kept healthy.”

The HEOW organised a screening exercise for the police officers and their families as part of activities to mark the Day.