21 Oct 2013

The Ministry of Health is committed to combating kidney disease through education, exchanging of ideas by doctors and patient screening as a way of enhancing comprehensive health service delivery.

Speaking at the commemoration of World Kidney Day at Airport Junction Mall in Gaborone on Saturday, October 19, Princess Marina Hospital deputy superintendent, Dr Kelebogile Motumise, said kidney disease affected 10 per cent of the general population in the Western world.

However, he said they were still collecting statistics and data for analysis in Botswana, but their experience from the kidney centre of excellence at Princess Marina Hospital and diabetic centre of excellence at Block 6 shows that they are sitting on a time bomb as there is an increase of kidney diseases in the country.

Dr Motumise stressed that  there was need to act now rather than later. He congratulated the health ministry for coming up with nephrology centres of excellence at Princess Marina and Nyangabwe hospitals in response to the said challenges.

Dr Motumise noted that the common causes of kidney diseases in Botswana included high blood pressure, sugar diabetes, HIV and AIDS, medications, especially those used for pain and for HIV and AIDS, and traditional medicine.

“A closer look at some of the causes, you will find that they are related to lifestyle changes, and that is why wellness programmes at work and physical exercise are being encouraged,” he said. Dr Motumise further noted that the ministry had introduced peritoneal dialysis in two referral hospitals and has now added haemodialysis through public private partnerships.  

Currently, there are 145 patients receiving peritoneal dialysis and 301 receiving haemodialysis but this is extremely expensive and unsustainable, he said.

The deputy superintendent pointed out that this was alarming; hence they are calling for prevention, better screening and control of risk factors. Giving a vote of thanks, the Member of Parliament for Gaborone West North, Mr Robert Masitara, said members of the community should act together to fight kidney diseases as they threaten the health of the society.

He said the fight included the civil society and both civil and political leadership. The Ministry of Health was commended for having committed itself towards the fight against kidney disease, adding that public campaign and commemoration of such dreadful diseases was positive. ENDS