Kidney Association of Zimbabwe has expressed concern over lack of government support despite the fact that kidney disease is one of the deadliest in the country.
In an interview with 263Chat, Lysias Sibanda, a renal patient and businessman based in Harare expressed disappointment at how the government has been handling the issue of people affected by kidney disease.
Sibanda said that screening and treatment for kidney disease was expensive and resulting in a lot of deaths as those affected are required to undergo three dialysis sessions per month.
“The government of Zimbabwe has under rated and given less attention to the kidney disease considering that it is deadly and treatment is expensive,
“Private Institutions charge USD$250 and government USD$120 for a dialysis session,
“Three sessions are needed per week which makes it USD$750 and USD$3000 a month for a private institution,
“Those who cannot afford are dying without getting proper treatment,
“Kidney transplant is the only way it can be cured and there are no doctors or theaters in Zimbabwe where it can be performed therefore people go to India for transplants and it is costly, Government should do some thing about this, train doctors and clean theaters,” said Sibanda.
He went on to say the general public is ignorant towards the disease therefore the signs and symptoms come unnoticed that it is kidney disease.
“The usual symptoms of kidney disease are high blood pressure, extreme infection for example malaria, obesity, diabetes, swelling of the body, lethargy and not passing enough urine,
“Screening and treatment should be free so that people get checked often,
“People also should eat well, exercise and avoid excessive alcohol as it increases sugar levels in the body,” added Sibanda.
According to KAZ statistics for the year ending June 2017 showed that Harare alone had a kidney disease burden with 346 patients registered. Bulawayo, Mutare, Gweru and Masvingo had a combined 141 registered patients going for dialysis during the same period.
The Kidney Association of Zimbabwe recently held a fundraising golf tournament to raise money for the association to help families and members affected by kidney disease.
