Lancet Laboratories Rwanda Celebrates World Kidney Day with Screening Campaign
On March 9, 2023, Lancet Laboratories Rwanda joined the global campaign to mark World Kidney Day, with a focus on the eight golden rules for prevention of chronic kidney diseases (CKD). The theme for this year's celebration was ‘Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable! The goal was to raise awareness about the impact of disastrous events on people with kidney disease.
According to the latest WHO data published in 2020, Kidney Disease Deaths in Rwanda reached 1,206 or 2.08% of total deaths. The age-adjusted Death Rate is 23.20 per 100,000 of population, ranking Rwanda #92 in the world. Among the most common causes of kidney disease are high blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes. In Rwanda, just like in other parts of the world, the day was observed under the theme, ‘Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable!’. Speaking to City of Kigali Staffs, Dr. Ntarindwa, a Nephrologist at Africa Healthcare Network, noted that it is critical for people to be educated about keeping their kidneys healthy to curb kidney diseases in the country.
While there are no official statistics for the epidemic in Rwanda, Dr. Ntarindwa estimates that there are currently more than 400 patients in the country on dialysis, and over 100 renal transplant patients. Treatment for these diseases is expensive not just in Rwanda but across the world. A kidney transplant costs more than Rwf25 million, and dialysis treatment requires patients to visit a treatment center at least three times a week, costing over Rwf 90,000.
“While the treatment of kidney disease is expensive and out of reach for many patients, prevention and/or screenings remains the major weapon we can use to fight chronic kidney disease,” Dr. Ntarindwa said. “Most insurance doesn’t cover this, leaving health authorities with only one campaign; how do I prevent myself from kidney disease? when is the right time to go for check-up? This is what we focused on mainly in this campaign.”
“While the treatment of kidney disease is expensive and out of reach for many patients, prevention and/or screenings remains the major weapon we can use to fight chronic kidney disease,” Dr. Ntarindwa said. “Most insurance doesn’t cover this, leaving health authorities with only one campaign; how do I prevent myself from kidney disease? when is the right time to go for check-up? This is what we focused on mainly in this campaign.”
To mark the day, Lancet Laboratories Rwanda, in partnership with Africa Healthcare Network, the Rwanda Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance (RwandaNCDA), ministry of health through the Rwanda Bio Medical Center and other stakeholders, conducted non-communicable disease (NCD) screening, eye checkups, renal function tests, and counseling. The event was held in the City Hall of the City of Kigali. More than 400 staff members of the City of Kigali and its districts, neighbouring institutions such as banks, and populations who came to look services in public institutions were screened freely. The focus was on early detection, early complications prevention, and early effective and timely follow-up.
“We highly appreciate the joined force for screening, aiming at ‘3 Es’: Early detection, Early complications prevention, and Early effective and timely follow-up. Congrats to all the team for this successful event. At Lancet Laboratories Rwanda were pleased to be a part of this initiative, and we hope to continue promoting kidney health in Rwanda” said the General Manager of Lancet Laboratories Rwanda.
In addition to screening, the event provided education, by Dr Etienne, on the eight golden rules for preventing CKD, which include keeping fit, being active, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, checking and controlling blood sugar, taking appropriate fluid intake, not smoking, not taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory/pain-killer pills regularly, and getting kidney function checked regularly if one has high-risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, or a family history of kidney disease.
Overall, the World Kidney Day campaign in Rwanda was a great success, raising awareness about the importance of kidney health and encouraging people to take proactive steps to prevent and manage kidney disease by early screenings. Through community outreach, media coverage, and educational event/talk, the campaign was able to reach a wide audience and make a positive impact on the health of Rwandans.