Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo (NAN)/
Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, a human resource expert has called on Nigerians to live a healthy life to prevent chronic kidney diseases.
Abdullahi made the call at an event organised by Nigerian Association of Nephrologist, to mark the World Kidney Day on Saturday in Ilorin, Kwara.
According to Abdullahi, who is also a fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, kidney disease is rated as 5th source of death the world over.
He explained that the disease could be prevented if sound and frequent public awareness is created to educate the masses on its causes and preventions.
“These are better done through Lectures, Symposia, Conferences, Radio and TV Presentations and as well as Newspapers and Journals.
“Every family should make it an annual routine to screen themselves medically at a good healthcare facility to know the performance of their organs, such as kidney, liver and the heart.
“The essence is to diagnose and discover early whatever is going wrong. This will help prevent the progression of the aliment to a life-threatening one.
“Diabetes, hypertension and chronic malaria are common factors responsible for CKD,’’ he stressed.
Abdullahi advised the public to ensure that while on regular medications for any of these diseases, one must be in constant touch with their healthcare givers and also use their drugs to prevent complications.
He, however, called on federal, states and local governments in the country to redesign the nation’s healthcare system with a view to carrying out effective implementation.]
He added that some of the facilities for management of the disease were lacking and those available were absolutely inadequate to care for large number of patients, thereby making treatment unaffordable or inaccessible.
Abdullahi blamed poor healthcare service delivery system in the country to corruption, uncared attitude and selfish approach to governance.
According to him, these are responsible for the brain-drain, where better Nigerian health professionals are seeking better environment in other parts of the world.
He, however, appealed to the citizens to correct mistakes of the past by voting for responsible leaders in the forthcoming general elections.
He maintained that the health and education sector should be well taken-care of by those in leadership.
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