The Ghana Kidney Association in collaboration with the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dagbon Forum and the International Society of Nephrology has organised a health walk and free health screening in Tamale to commemorate World Kidney Day. The event started off at the forecourt of the Tamale Teaching Hospital and ended at the Lamashegu Chief Palace where hundreds of residents trooped for the screening. Students, health workers and other persons, who participated took the opportunity to sensitize the general public to the urgent need to get their Kidneys and general health checked.
The 2024 World Kidney Day campaign is themed “Kidney Health for All – Advancing Equitable Access to Care and Optimal Medication Practice.” The campaign aims to improve access to kidney treatment around the world as well as advance kidney health education. Addressing journalists at the event, Physician Specialist, Nephrology and Training at the Korlebu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Victor Ekow Eduam Ekem, who is a member of the Ghana Kidney Association, GKA, said one out of ten people in Ghana, suffers from kidney disease. He indicated that kidney cases are on the increase among the teaming youth and there is the need to advance its education and awareness. He encouraged the general public to consistently get screened for the disease for early detection and treatment.
On her part, a dialysis nurse at the Korlebu Teaching Hospital, Nancy Abedi, also advised the public to avoid self-medication, including unapproved herbal medications, which is one major cause of kidney disease. She also explained that dialysis is very expensive, hence the need for the public to consistently go for kidney screening. “There are stages of kidney disease, especially with the chronic there’s a stage where you don’t start dialysis, but we have the end stage when it’s left with just 15% of your kidney function or less. At this level your body cannot survive without dialysis, then we talk to you, counsel you and your family members in or give you all the modalities that you have to start your dialysis”, she emphasized.
The exercise saw hundreds of people being screened of high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetic conditions, urine among others.