Kidney diseases on the increase among youths – LUTH

Lagos  – The Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba( LUTH), Prof. Akin Osibogun, said that chronic kidney diseases was on the increase among youths.

Osibogun, who was represented by Dr Babawale Bello, Head of Renal Unit at the Department of Medicine, LUTH, said this at a health screening programme for students of University of Lagos (UNILAG) that the situation was worrisome.

The screening was in commemoration of World Kidney Day marked every second Thursday of March, with the theme: “Acute Kidney Injury : Stop Kidney Attack!”.

He said that the facility discovered that most of the kidney diseases presented at the hospital were at their severe stages where little or nothing could be done to help the patients.

“Most patients who have various forms of kidney diseases presented severe impairment of kidney function.

“This shows that they have had this problem a long time, that is, when they were young– without noticing it,” he said.

Osibogun said that LUTH chose students of UNILAG because they were the ideal population to aid early detection of kidney diseases, which was the best way to stop the attack.

He added that the programme was to create awareness on the causes, effects, symptoms and prevention of kidney diseases.

He advised younger people to imbibe better life styles by increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables and having health checks.

“Eat less salt, refined sugar, junk and processed food, because all these are associated with hypertension and diabetes, which are predominant risk factors of kidney diseases.

“This would help prevent the disease and for people who already have it, they should visit the hospital regularly and take to medical advice for proper management,” Osibogun said. (NAN)