‘Take care of your kidneys’

WORLDWIDE there are 195 million women being diagnosed with renal failure and it is currently the eighth leading cause of death in women, accounting for 600 000 deaths each year.

In Barbados, there are currently 186 patients who are being seen in the Artificial Kidney Unit (AKU) at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), of which 78 are females. Approximately 1 800 cases are treated per month; additionally, 69 patients have been outsourced to Sils Dialysis Services.

These statistics were given by Director of Nursing Services at QEH, Henderson Pinder, who also indicated that 19 patients are treated at the David Thompson Health and Social Service Centre, while 80 patients are being seen at the Peritoneal Dialysis Unit, noting that he has been reliably informed that 24 patients have been assessed and will soon be added to that cohort.

“When one thinks it was over, it was reported that approximately 60 patients are seen in the Renal Outpatient Clinic monthly,” he said.

The Director of Nursing Services was delivering remarks at the World Kidney Day Seminar, themed “Kidneys & Women’s Health: Include, Value, Empower”, held in the QEH’s Auditorium.

Pinder told the packed auditorium that renal diseases can affect the outcome of pregnancy, and pregnancy can affect the progression of pre-existing renal disease and pregnancy itself causes renal impairment. He said it must be noted that the renal system undergoes significant physiological and anatomical changes during a normal pregnancy.

He pointed out that it is during this time of the year that organisations and community groups are encouraged to hold Kidney Disease Awareness activities, through providing information on how the disease can be prevented and controlled. Pinder said this time is also used for health professionals to offer disease risk screening to the community at large.

“Let me say that if detected early, chronic renal disease can be treated, thereby reducing other complications and dramatically decreasing the grim, growing burden of death and disabilities from chronic renal and cardiovascular disease in Barbados.

“A cost analysis in fact would indicate that universally trillions of dollars is spent for the cost of kidney, despite that the disease is preventable. QEH, I would like to emphasise to everyone present here today, that chronic kidney disease is preventable and controllable. Therefore, some basic elements must be considered in the drive to help prevent kidney disease,” he said.

The Director of Nursing Services suggested that regular exercise, eating healthy and maintaining a normal body weight, drinking adequate amounts of water, reducing salt intake, cessation of smoking, and maintaining a normal blood pressure, are some of the measures that can be taken to prevent kidney disease.

“It is our responsibility, therefore, as a nation to change our lifestyles and listen to and follow sound medical advice. I am sure that this would ameliorate and control chronic kidney diseases,” he said. (AH)

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