Director of Nursing Services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Henderson Pinder suggested that kidney disease screening should be a standard healthcare intervention in Barbados.
Health screening for kidney disease should be a standard healthcare intervention in Barbados.
Director of Nursing Services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), Henderson Pinder made this recommendation during the World Kidney Day seminar in the QEH auditorium on Wednesday.
He explained that this screening would include diagnostics such as urine and blood tests and he suggested that those most susceptible should be screened.
“We must encourage the screening of high-risk individuals and early diagnosis and treatment. These are cost-effective ways to prevent or delay end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplantation,” said Pinder.
He added that the medical community strives to ensure equity and sustainable access to all Barbadians who are diagnosed with kidney disease. Pinder said that the consensus is that escalating cases of renal disease can be reduced if the medical community advocates and insists that kidney patients secure basic health services such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes control, dietary consultation and other essential indicators to delay chronic disease progression. The Nursing Director also stressed for smoking and obesity to be aggressive addressed.
Pinder told the audience of patients, policymakers, doctors, nurses, the media and advocates that they represent an important voice in Barbados’ healthcare message.
He noted that World Kidney Day is recognised on the second Thursday of March and it is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the kidney and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated problems.
“Please be aware that this silent epidemic of kidney disease can only grow since the risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking continue to grow in Barbados and we are ever facing an ageing population,” said Pinder.
Kidney disease is a silent pandemic
The Director of Nursing explained that diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and smoking are among the common factors contributing to the silent pandemic and ever-growing burden.
“Chronic kidney disease and its associated treatment have significantly increased our health expenditure consuming $20 million dollars or 13 per cent of the total Queen Elizabeth Hospital budget,” said Pinder.
Call to take action
Pinder said that on World Kidney Day, it is not about raising awareness but it must also be about taking action. He said there is a need to create concrete measures to promote and advance kidney disease prevention. He urged the audience to adopt one change in their diet or lifestyle that will benefit them. The Director of Nursing also suggested that the solution of providing more organ transplants and researching the development of wearable, implantable kidney devices.
He said that treatment and prevention methods for chronic kidney disease are still inadequate. Pinder stated that worldwide death from chronic kidney disease is estimated at 1.2 million deaths per year while acute kidney injury is thought to be the cause of a further 1.7 million deaths.
Earlier, Pinder said that over 850 million persons have kidney disease worldwide and in Barbados, this non-communicable disease is seen in a large number of people.