A professor specializing in Internal Medicine and Nephrology at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta U...
A professor specializing in Internal Medicine and Nephrology at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University (NDU), located on Wilberforce Island in Bayelsa State, Oghenekaro Egbi, has stated that Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is expected to rank as the fifth leading cause of death globally in the near future.
During his research presentation at the university's 65th opening lecture, Prof. Egbi added that in Nigeria, as many as 230,000 people need critical treatments like dialysis or kidney transplants.
Based on his research, the rise in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, along with the ongoing presence of infectious diseases like hepatitis and HIV, contribute to a dual health burden, which is linked to the occurrence of chronic kidney disease.
The report also noted that more than 68 percent of patients admitted to tertiary hospitals in Bayelsa State suffered from NCDs, with an increasing pattern of genetic and human-made factors, including environmental influences, playing a major role.
When discussing the reasons behind the increasing cases of CKD, he stated: “We are living in a world that is constantly evolving, making it easier to frequent restaurants and food vendors. Most of the foods prepared by these establishments are heavily processed and include artificial ingredients, flavorings, sugar, sodium, refined carbs, and harmful fats.”
Examples of these items consist of carbonated beverages, canned beer, preserved meat, salted or sweetened nuts, burgers, flavored yogurt, and ready-to-eat noodles. These types of food are now widely available in our supermarkets.
Consuming ultra-processed foods increases the risk of kidney disease by 24%. Eating red and processed meats has been associated with kidney disease. As many as one-third and one-fifth of people with diabetes and hypertension in developed countries, respectively, suffer from CKD.
Nevertheless, glomerulonephritis (caused by infections, toxins, and other factors) makes up a substantial part of cases in our area. A large portion of my work focused on recognized risk factors for CKD.
Several risk factors were found to be common in both city and countryside areas. A study conducted with employees at a tertiary hospital in Bayelsa State revealed that one in five individuals had high blood pressure, while a quarter were overweight.
Two-thirds of individuals with hypertension were not aware of their condition. A study conducted in Benin found that only 11.9% of those with hypertension recognized their risk for CKD, accompanied by inadequate health-related behaviors.
In a rural area of Bayelsa State, as many as a quarter of the population suffered from hypertension, whereas in Edo State, 13.9% had diabetes, with two out of five individuals unaware of their condition and one in four people being obese.
Besides existing medical conditions, social factors might play a role in the higher risk and impact of kidney disease. Kidney disease was most common in Obunagha, an area where gas flaring is active, compared to the non-gas-flaring area of Azikoro.
Active gas flaring was linked to a higher likelihood of decreased kidney function. The level of kidney function did not correlate with the concentration of gases in the surrounding air. People residing in areas where gas is frequently flared face a greater chance of developing kidney disease.
This phenomenon appears to be separate from gaseous substances, in contrast to the case with respiratory illnesses. Poverty plays a role in the extraordinary increase in the prevalence of NCDs in this context.
Approximately 63% of individuals residing in the country are classified as multi-dimensionally poor (National Bureau of Statistics, 2025). Proper handling of CKD is nearly unattainable in this environment. A significant number of patients discontinue dialysis because of the expensive treatment.
Up to 61% of patients at a dialysis center in Bayelsa State were unable to afford dialysis after just a few initial sessions in the first week. While approximately 3 out of 10 patients with ESKD in developed nations receive kidney transplants, fewer than 1 in 100 Nigerian patients attempt to undergo a kidney transplant.
Individuals cover the costs of medical services themselves. Insufficient facilities and supplies, cultural attitudes, limited knowledge, a shortage of staff, and the absence of suitable laws present obstacles.
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