Kidney ailments on the rise in Nairobi
More than 400,000 people living in Nairobi have kidney problems.
Statistics show that one out of 10 Nairobians have some form of kidney complications which translates to about 1,000 deaths annually.
Speaking during the World Kidney Day at Uhuru Park where hundreds of people went for screening, Head of KNH Renal Unit Dr Antony Were, said kidney problems have been on the rise especially among people aged above 40.
“We receive over a 1,000 kidney patients in a week, which calls for people to be screened to get the right treatment in the early stages,” he said.
The disease is also spreading fast among youths aged below 20 years. Christine Kamau, 14, was diagnosed with Kidney disease in 2011.
She underwent dialysis for a year before she enlisted for a transplant at KNH.
The Kenya Renal Association says chronic kidney disease is expected to rise by 17 per cent over the next decade if it is not recognised as a global health issue.
KNH is the only public hospital offering kidney transplant services in the country with only 15 dialysis machines which cater for 300 patients per day.