Today is World Kidney Day. It is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
This year’s World Kidney Day theme is ”Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice”.
World Kidney Day is an annual event that takes place worldwide. Hundreds of organizations and individuals launch initiatives and events on Wold Kidney Disease to help raise awareness on kidney disease.
Speaking with a Senior Registrar Nephrology Unity, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, Dr Okoroafor Chigozie, said the essence of the day is to enlighten the public on the importance of having a healthy kidney and the practices that promotes healthy living of the kidneys.
Dr Chigozie listed the risk factors of kidney disease to include: Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, HIV, prostate disease and herbal medication use.
He also listed some symptoms of Chronic Kidney diseases to include: unexplained weakness, passage of fluffy urine, hiccups, vomiting, loss of appetite among other things.
Okoroafor while stating that there are five stages of kidney disease, noted that the management of kidney disease depends on its stage. He added that early stage of kidney disease can prevent deterioration of the kidney function.
Dr Chigozie Okoroafor therefore advised people to eat healthy, engage in regular exercise, avoid alcohol, smoking, herbal medication since such medications have toxins that can adversely affect the kidneys. He further stressed the need for people without any risk factor for kidney disease to drink up to 3 liters of water a day as dehydration can cause acute kidney injury, while people with family history of diabetes and hypertension should start screening early in life.
As many as 1 in 10 adults are affected by chronic kidney disease globally, it is advisable for people to engage in regular check ups today as prevention is better than cure.
