18,000 Nigerians Need Dialysis Yearly – Nephrology Nurses
Written by Olarotimi Oshin on March 10, 2023
The Nigerian Association of Nephrology Nurses (NANN) has disclosed that 18,000 Nigerians would need dialysis yearly, with only 160 nephrologists available in the country to attend to them.
This is even as the association has advocated for kidney transplantation, which is key in reducing the morbidity and mortality rate of patient with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) to the barest minimum.
In a document made available to LEADERSHIP, the national president, NANN, Ajibike Omolola Shanu, said every individual is blessed with two bean shaped kidneys for the purpose of excreting metabolic waste and maintaining internal homeostasis of the body.
When the kidneys are unable to serve this purpose as a result of disease condition, the president said renal failure is said to have resulted, adding that ESRD is a psychological debilitating illness with considerable emotional morbidity. It is a disease that can destruct the patient’s life goals and precipitate a vicious circle of depression, mood swings and unfulfilled hopes, she said.
