An insidious silent killer— kidney disease—has surreptitiously become an epidemic. The severe, invasive public health crisis is fast wrecking lives at a geometric scale. An estimated 25.4 million Nigerians are now living with chronic kidney disease, with about 9,000 new cases of end-stage kidney failure emerging every month.
Chronic kidney disease is dubbed a silent killer because it progresses stealthily and often shows no visible symptoms until it reaches advanced, dangerous stages when dialysis or outright transplant is required.
The pervasive surge of the disease is disconcerting and scary because the causal factors are partly linked intrinsically with the lifestyle choices of many Nigerians. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute kidney injury (AKI), once considered rare conditions, are now surging owing largely to the unhealthy and carefree attitudes of many Nigerians.
According to health experts, while hypertension and diabetes are the leading causes of kidney failure or damage, the life of debauchery and insobriety of many Nigerians, leading to the consumption of all kinds of deleterious drinks, among other harmful practices, is also a strong risk factor.
Hypertension (High blood pressure), as identified earlier, is the leading cause of kidney disease in Nigeria. Over time, uncontrolled hypertension damages blood vessels in the kidneys, reducing their ability to filter waste properly.
Many Nigerians with hypertension do not check or have the means to check their blood pressure regularly, thus increasing their risk of kidney failure.
Diabetes and high blood sugar levels
is identified as the the second most common cause of kidney failure. High sugar levels damage kidney filters, leading to chronic kidney disease. Many diabetics fail to control their blood sugar, increasing their risk of diabetic kidney disease.
Other factors identified by experts include excessive use of pain killers and herbal medications; overuse of pain relievers— NSAIDs like ibuprofen and diclofenac— can damage kidney function.
Many Nigerians also consume unregulated alcoholic herbal mixtures and concoctions, which often contain toxic substances that harm the kidneys.
In one of our recent editorials on sudden deaths through adulterated herbal alcoholic drinks in some Ondo State communities, we had observed that the boom in adulteration is shaped by the massive market demand for cheap alcohol.
“The consumption of local alcoholic and herbal drinks mostly in the rural areas and dingy street corners in the city suburbs is a ghoulish obsession. It has acquired a life of its own. So is the supply line. It is a cycle that has blended with the daily grind in rural Nigeria and poverty-infested city suburbs.
“For most youths in most of those places, alcoholic and herbal drinks have become more or less a pre-breakfast ‘appetizer.’ In motor parks, markets, local joints and makeshift kiosks all around, the sale and consumption of these drinks are a binge addiction,” we had asserted further in the earlier editorial.
Consuming high levels of methanol is said to be extremely dangerous. Once swallowed, the body breaks methanol down into toxic formic acid, which causes severe metabolic acidosis, permanent blindness, organ failure, including kidney damage, and death.
Other identified causes of kidney disease include untreated infections and recurrent unirary tract problems; kidney stones; untreated malaria, typhoid and hepatitis infections as well as poor water intake. Chronic dehydration causes kidney stones and impairs kidney function. Many Nigerians do not drink enough water, especially in hot climates, leading to kidney stress.
It can also be genetic as some people inherit kidney diseases like polycystic kidney disease (PKD) from family members. Autoimmune diseases like Lupus Nephritis are also said to attack kidney tissue, causing inflammation and failure.
Although kidney disease hardly shows visible symptoms until it has reached an advanced stages, there are some common warning signs to watch for. They include swelling in the face, legs, and hands; persistent fatigue and weakness; change in urination (foamy urine, reduced frequency, or dark-colored urine).
Others are nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite; difficulty in breathing and chest pain; intching skin and unexplained weight loss.
Nigerians are strongly enjoined to take extra humanly possible precautions, including adjusting their baleful lifestyle choices, and avoid damage to their kidneys because the disease is sneaky and highly life-threatening. It does not often show visible symptoms until it is almost too late, as observed earlier, and the cost of treatment is crushingly burdensome.
For example, the average cost of kidney dialysis in Nigeria ranges from N35,000 and N80,000 per session in private and standard medical facilities, depending on the facility and location. And the victim will require to undergo two or three sessions a week. The cost is, however, subsidized in some designated tertiary federal hospitals where the cost goes for about N12,000 per session.
Monthly estimates at the subsidized federal rate go for between ₦140,000 and ₦200,000 per month, while private facility rate will be up to between over ₦400,000 and ₦720,000. This excludes the costs for routine lab tests, blood transfusions, and medications.
The cost of kidney transplant is prohibitive. It is heavily dependent on where the procedure is performed, whether a government-owned teaching hospital or a specialized private medical facility. It ranges from between N12 million and N22 million in public/federal tertiary hospitals.
Some tertiary hospitals were said to have offered previously subsidized rates but were forced by spiralling medical costs to hike the rates at some point.
The procedure goes for between N25 million and N30 million in private medical facilities. These premium rates usually encompass advanced pre-transplant donor screening, surgery and immediate post-operative isolation care.
The cost of transplant does not end there. The post-surgery expenses could also be burdensome because the base surgery package rarely covers long-term care. This includes immunosuppressant medications. After the surgery, patients must take lifelong anti-rejection drugs to stop the body from fighting the new organ. These post-transplant drugs could gulp between ₦300,000 and ₦500,000, excluding the cost of transplant therapies.
It is clear from these prohibitive costs of weekly kidney dialysis and transplants that it is safer to avoid falling victim of the disease. As a matter of fact, medical experts record up to 90% rate of patients abandoning dialysis within a single year because they cannot afford the financial burden.
Similarly, the costs of kidney transplants are patently inaccessible for the average citizen without external assistance or philanthropic intervention.
To prevent kidney disease, apart from the need to modify harmful lifestyles and go for regular health check-ups, experts recommend the following steps to protect the kidney from damage. They include controlling blood pressure and diabetes and monitoring blood pressure regularly and taking prescribed medications.
It is also imperative to manage diabetes with diet, exercise and medication to prevent kidney damage.
They admonish Nigerians to stay hydrated by drinking at least two to three liters of water daily to keep the kidneys healthy; reduce intake of carbonated drinks, alcohol, and energy drinks; avoid excessive painkillers and herbal drugs and limit the use of NSAIDs—ibuprofen, diclofenac, aspirin, etc.
It is advisable to avoid consuming unregulated herbal products that may contain toxic substances; eat a kidney-friendly diet; reduce salt and processed foods to prevent high blood pressure; eat more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins to support kidney health.
People are also enjoined by medical professionals to go for regular health screening, including checking kidney function annually, especially if the person has high blood pressure, diabetes or a family history of kidney challenges.
However, governments at the state and federal levels may have to ease things for kidney patients by intervening more directly in their treatment . Such Interventions could come in the form of granting heavy tax rebates on the relevant medications in the pre and post- transplant care.
Philanthropists and operators of foundations in the health sector are also encouraged to shift attention to the plight of kidney patients by constantly visiting medical facilities to pick bills for dialysis and transplants.
This will reduce the rate at which many of them are abandoning treatments due to paucity of funds and ineluctable deaths arising from the unfortunate development.
…. take precautions against El Niño too
El Niño is a natural but dangerous climate event that is currently stirring some subterranean weather anxieties across the country and beyond. It is a global climatic occurrence that comes with dangerous changes that are hurtful to life and some other aspects of national life. So, it requires serious precautions.
It happens when surface water in the tropical Pacific Ocean becomes much warmer than normal. This warmth changes wind patterns and shifts weather across the world.
How does it affect Nigeria? El Niño alters the country’s weather by driving extreme heat waves and changing rainfall patterns as as the horrid weather condition raises concerns about its potential effects on agriculture, water supply, electricity generation and public health.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said in September, this year, that El Niño was expected to strengthen into a very strong event and persist into early 2027. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has also warned that the phenomenon could affect rainfall patterns, including the length of the rainy season and when it ends.
El Niño event comes with health risks as high heat increases cases of heat stroke and exhaustion, especially during power outages and limited access to cooling. A study by the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab warns that intense heat could lead to thousands of heat-related deaths.
Vulnerable groups include outdoor workers, children and the elderly. It also engenders infrastructure strains as extreme heat places heavy pressure on electricity supplies and cooling systems.
As for regional rainfall changes, El Niño does not affect every part of Nigeria the same way. Southern states like Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, and Lagos can experience below-average rainfall and drier conditions.
The Northern states like Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, and Jigawa, on the other hand, are projected to receive above-average rainfall and wetter conditions.
El Niño’s key impact on society includes reducing rainfall in the south, which can dry out crops and lower harvest yields, leading to higher food prices. Water shortages can force people to use unsafe water sources, raising the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera. Heat and shifting weather disrupt water availability and stress local power generation.
To stay safe and cool during intense heatwaves, experts prescribe the following practical steps, among others:
*Staying hydrated by drinking water constantly: Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink.
*Avoid dehydrating drinks: Limit sugary sodas, coffee, tea and alcohol, as they cause your body to lose fluids faster.
*Eat hydrating foods: Consume fruits and vegetables with high water content, such as watermelon, cucumbers and oranges.
*Keeping your living space cool by blocking out the sun: Close curtains, blinds or shutters during the hottest parts of the day to keep direct sunlight out.
*Optimize airflow: Open windows at night or early in the morning when the outside air is cooler, then close them before the sun heats up.
*Use fans safely: If indoor temperatures rise above 35°C (95°F), fans alone will not prevent heat illness. Use them alongside damp cloths or misting bottles to cool your skin.
Dressing and acting for the heat:
*Wear lightweight clothing: Choose loose-fitting, light-colored cotton or linen clothes that allow your skin to breathe.
*Protect your skin outdoors: Wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen if you must go outside. Avoid direct sunlight between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
*Reschedule heavy tasks: Limit strenuous physical activities, farming or outdoor chores to the cooler early morning or late evening hours.
According to experts, children and the elderly are at the highest risk during heatwaves because their bodies cannot regulate temperature as easily as healthy adults.
*So, never leave children in parked cars: Even with windows cracked, a vehicle’s internal temperature can reach deadly levels in minutes.
*Dress them lightly: Use a single layer of loose, light-colored cotton clothing, and change damp clothes frequently to prevent heat rashes.
*Offer fluids frequently: Breastfeed or formula-feed babies more often. Give older children water breaks every 20 minutes during play, even if they do not ask for it.
*Monitor closely for changes: Watch for unusual drowsiness, extreme fussiness, refusal to drink, or dry lips/diapers, which indicate dehydration.
*As for the elderly, conduct daily check-ins: Visit or call elderly relatives, neighbours or friends at least twice a day to monitor their well-being and cooling setup.
*Prioritize hydration: Encourage them to drink water or clear broths throughout the day. Many older adults lose their natural sense of thirst or avoid drinking to reduce bathroom trips.
*Provide physical cooling aids: Place damp, cool towels on their wrists, neck, and forehead, or set up a foot bath with cool water.
