Kenya faces an acute shortage of kidney specialists with one nephrologist catering for one million people.
This according to Medical Services minister Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o calls for an urgent need to train more kidney specialists to cater for the increasing number of patients in the country.
Prof Nyong’o said that the present ratio of one specialist to one million people was inadequate to sustain the current medical needs of people with kidney ailments.
Speaking during the commemoration of the World Kidney Day at Kenyatta National Hospital, the minister said the number of people suffering from kidney ailments in the country has reached over one million and counting due to improvement in screening and diagnosis of the disease.
“The total number of patients receiving dialysis treatment has increased tremendously,” said the minister, adding that the country needed more nephrologists, paramedics and other health staff to respond to the increasing number of patients.
Prof Nyongo said the country requires at least 10 or 20 nephrologists for every one million people in order to realize Vision 2030 adding that the government recognises the crucial role played by human resources in delivery of health services and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The minister observed that KNH alone has about 150 patients suffering from kidney failure who need dialysis services.
“The government has trained staff and equipped Nakuru, Coast General and the Moi Teaching and Referral hospitals with dialysis machines to ease the burden of dialysis services at KNH,” he added.
He said that government was committed to working in partnership with other development agencies to reduce kidney ailments in the country.
Dr. Jotham Micheni, the KNH director said that the youth account for 60 percent of those suffering from renal ailments in the country and in need of dialysis at the facility.
Dr. Micheni said there was need to prioritize preventive rather than curative measures and urged Kenyans to go for regular screening, adopt healthy lifestyles and take other measures that will keep their kidneys healthier.
He said that the hospital has procured modern dialysis machines and enhanced training capacity by continuously training nephrologists and renal nurses in order to meet the demand for dialysis services.
-KBC
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