10 Mar 2022

People with kidney disease have been advised to join support groups where they can share experiences as part of the healing process.

The advice was given by Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Edwin Dikoloti on the occasion of World Kidney Day commemoration in Gaborone yesterday.

“It is within support groups that you will find encouragement from individuals who are going through the same experience as yourselves, who will help you to comply with your prescribed diet, weight loss, exercise regime and adherence to treatment,” he said.

The minister stated that the battle against kidney disease could not be won without individuals’ commitment. 

 “Chronic kidney disease is preventable and controllable as such one can still live longer with appropriate healthy eating and treatment,” he said.

   Dr Dikoloti said the Nephrology Centre of Excellence at Princess Marina Hospital was part of government’s efforts and progress in the fight against chronic kidney disease.

Managed by a multi-disciplinary team, the centre provided high level care to people with chronic kidney disease and worked to prevent complications which might lead to death, he said.

Dr Dikoloti said in 2019, WHO reported that kidney diseases had risen from the world’s 13th leading cause of mortality to the current 10th position while absolute numbers of mortality increased from 813 000 in 2000 to 1.3 million in 2019.

“This is a worrying trend given the fact that Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), hypertension and diabetes are the leading causes of chronic kidney disease,” he said.

The minister said Botswana’s multi-sectoral strategy for the prevention and control of NCDs provided the roadmap on effective interventions while resourcing the health sector to respond effectively.

On this year’s theme: Kidney Health for all, Bridge the Knowledge Gap to Better Kidney Care, he said it called for awareness, the seeking of appropriate kidney health information and active measures.

He said it also prompted government on the importance of investing in promotive health interventions for all while ensuring equitable universal access to care meeting individual health gaps.

Princess Marina Hospital’s Dr Abid Sheik noted that in 2011, Botswana adopted a new National Health Policy that included organ transplant services.

“The first group of patients underwent kidney transplantation in 2014 and to date close to 30 patients have been successfully transplanted and they are provided with post-transplant care,” he said.

He called on government to train more people, both nurses and doctors, to help deal with specialised services given the large and rapidly growing number of patients.

Dr Sheik also pleaded with people to go for regular screening and to donate organs so as to save lives. 

World Kidney Day, which is commemorated annually on every second Thursday of March, aims to raise awareness on the importance of kidneys to overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems.BOPA