The globe is faced with an alarming increase in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) as the years go by and reports indicate that women are more prone to the disease compared to men.
World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
As the world commemorates the day today, March 8, 2018, the Ghana Police Hospital Dialysis Center held an event at the forecourt of the hospital to raise awareness among women.
Themed “kidneys and Women’s Health”, the ardently planned occasion was also to offer an opportunity to focus on women’s health particularly on timely diagnosis and proper follow up of Chronic Kidney Disease in women and in pregnancy.
The disease progresseing slower in women compared to men, barriers including lower disease awareness leading to late or no start of dialysis among women and uneven access to care were three major reasons highlighted as the key cause of prevalence in women.
Board Director of the Ghana Police Hospital, Dr Nkrumah Mills indicated however that Chronic Kidney Disease is preventable when early treatment is sought regardless of its prevalence in women. He stressed that women needed thorough education on the disease adding that frequent weight checks, blood sugar and urinal tests should be done to avoid the disease.
“Chronic Kidney Diseases are common, harmful but often treatable hence the need to improve awareness, insight and development.”This he says allows for planned therapeutic interventions and will go a long way to save lives.
Deputy Interior Minister, Henry Quartey, speaking on behalf of Vice President Mahammadu Bawumia applauded the efforts made by the Ghana Police Hospital Dialysis Center to educate the public on early check-ups and treatments.
Henry Quartey, in his speech, laid emphasis on the need to bring to light the importance of educating local indigenes who may not be privy to the need for check-ups when it comes to kidneys. He tasked Ghanaian men join the rest of the world in the fight against the prevalent CKD among women
“It is an important occasion for us in Ghana to mark the occasion [World Kidney Day] in support of the Ghana Police Hospital Dialysis Center. I invite all our fellow countrymen to join in the global community in adding our voices to this important day.
He continued, “World Kidney Day is celebrated to raise awareness and highlight the importance of our kidneys to our overall health. In 2018, this day draws attention to the need for all of us to value empower and encourage the women in our lives to have a heightened awareness of kidney diseases and to seek treatment in a timely manner.”
The Minister of Interior ended his speech by expressing gratitude to the Paramount Chief of Osu His Majesty DF Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI for jointly collaborating with stakeholders to provide free health screening for girls and women as part of activities for the day.
