By Emem Idio, Yenagoa 

A professor of Internal Medicine & Nephrology, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Oghenekaro Egbi, has disclosed that up to 25 million Nigerians live with kidney disease with about 230,000 persons with kidney disease needing life-saving interventions such as dialysis or kidney transplant.

According to the nephrologist, while the prevalence rate of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Nigeria is largely unknown, however, he said many countries in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria report a dramatic upsurge in prevalence of kidney disease.

Prof Egbi, who stated this while delivering the 65th Inaugural Lecture of the university, titled : “The Human Kidneys: Casualty of Societal Maladies; An SOS Distress Call”, pointed out that CKD will become the fifth largest cause of death worldwide by 2040, lamenting that many people are not even aware they have the disease until late because routine screening is not commonly done, particularly in this part of the world.

In spite of the troubling statistics of kidney disease, the varsity don regretted that the government is yet to recognize kidney disease as a healthcare priority, lamenting that It has not received the deserved attention in terms of resource allocation and compounded by a lack of national kidney registry

Prof Egbi said the increase in Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, Persistence of infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, giving a double burden of diseases are responsible for the prevalence of chronic kidney disease.

He said from his recent study in Bayelsa State oil and gas host communities, individuals living in communities where gas is regularly flared, are at risk of kidney disease, stressing that this effect seems independent of the level of gaseous matter, unlike that for respiratory and cardiovascular health.

He further highlighted that over 68 per cent of admitted cases in a tertiary hospitals in Bayelsa State, had NCDs with a rising trend of genetics and man-made factors including environmental factors which are contributory.

His words: “The cause of the rising wave of CKD we live in a changing world where it is more convenient to patronize restaurants and food outlets. Majority of these industrially prepared foods in the society are highly processed and contain artificial additives, flavours, sugar, sodium, refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats.

“Examples of such products include soft drinks, canned beer, canned meat, salted/ sugar nuts, hamburgers, flavoured yoghurt, and instant nodules. These foods are currently very rampant in our supermarkets.

“Consumption of ultra processed foods carry a 24% higher risk of kidney disease. Consumption of red /processed meats have been linked with kidney disease. Up to 1/3 and 1/5 of individuals with diabetes and hypertension respectively in developed countries have CKD. 

“However, glomerulonephritis (from infections, toxins, etc) account for a significant proportion in our setting. A good proportion of my work was devoted to identifiable risk factors of CKD. 

“Risk factors were shown to be prevalent in both urban and rural communities. In a study among staff of a tertiary hospital in Bayelsa state, one out of every five persons had hypertension, while a quarter were obese. 

“Two-thirds of the hypertensives were unaware of their diagnosis. In a study in Benin only 11.9% of hypertensives were aware of CKD risk with poor health-related practices.

“In a rural community in Bayelsa State, up to a quarter had hypertension while in Edo State, 13.9% had diabetes with two out of five having no awareness and one out of every four persons obese.

“Apart from established medical conditions, societal factors may contribute to the excess risk and burden of kidney disease. Kidney disease was most prevalent in Obunagha the actively gas flaring community compared with the non-gas flaring one (Azikoro).

“Active gas flaring was associated with increased risk of reduced kidney function. Kidney function was unrelated to concentration of gases in ambient air. Individuals living in communities where gas is regularly flared, are at risk of kidney disease. 

“This effect seems independent of gaseous matter, unlike that for respiratory disease. Poverty is contributory to the unprecedented rise in the burden of NCDs in this setting.

“Up to 63% of persons living in the country are considered multi-dimensionally poor (National Bureau of Statistics, 2025). Adequate management of CKD is almost impossible in this setting. There is a high drop-out rate from dialysis due to the high cost. 

“Up to 61% of the patients in a dialysis centre in Bayelsa state could not afford dialysis beyond the few initial sessions in the first week. Although about 3 out of 10 patients with ESKD in developed countries, undergo kidney transplantation, less than 1 in every 100 Nigerian patients attempts kidney transplant. 

“Patients pay out-of-pocket for services. Inadequate infrastructure and resources, socio-cultural beliefs, poor awareness, manpower shortage and lack of appropriate legislation are challenges.”