Senate has urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns on kidney disease prevention, risks and treatment.
It also resolved to call the attention of members of the Committee on Health to lobby for an expansion of the National Health Insurance Scheme to provide comprehensive coverage for chronic kidney disease patients.
World Kidney Day is a health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and overall health as a way of reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease.
The Red Chamber equally called on the Federal Ministry of Health and other ministries to implement infection prevention, training and supervision protocols to safeguard chronic kidney disease patients.
These resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central) under personal explanation during Tuesday’s plenary.
The World Kidney Day (WKD) usually observed yearly on the 2nd Thursday in March, is a health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and overall health as a way of reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease.
The WKD 2024 which is themed: “Kidney Health for All,” focuses on the increasing burden of chronic kidney disease and achieving optimal kidney care to overcome these challenges at different levels.
In his presentation, Yar’Adua, commemorating the day, disclosed that recent statistics from the Nigerian Association of Nephrology revealed that an alarming 25 million Nigerians were living with kidney disease.
According to him, this calls for urgent attention to address the prevalence of this life-threatening condition and include kidney treatment facilities in our country.
He said: “Chronic kidney disease constitutes about 40 per cent in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and is a significant contributor to daily hospital admissions.
“The cost of dialysis sessions in Nigeria ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 per session leading to low adherent rates due to financial constraints.
“The alternative to dialysis which is kidney transplant is financially unattainable for many with the cost exceeding 6.5 million naira.”
