Parliament told to pass laws on funding of fight against kidney complications

By SILAH KOSKEI

Parliament has been urged to enact legislation on funding of renal departments in hospitals to fight the rising cases of kidney-related  ailments.

Speaking in Eldoret during the marking of World Kidney Day, the chairman of Kidney Lupus Foundation, Western chapter, Titus Terigin said the Government has done little to ensure that patients suffering from renal ailments access to affordable treatment.

He expressed concern over the increasing number of deaths due to renal ailments, saying there is need for MPs to enact laws to reverse the trend.

Terigin said that the laws should be geared towards making kidney-related treatment free as is currently the case for cancer.

“It was until after a former Cabinet minister suffered from cancer that MPs unanimously passed a law making treatment of the disease free. Should we wait until another prominent person suffers from a kidney-related ailment for them to pass a similar law?” he posed.

Terigin, who also has had a kidney transplant in 2000, stressed the need for county governments to set up  dialysis centres to reduce congestion at national health facilities.

Yesterday, Uasin Gishu residents braved the cold weather and trooped to Eldoret County hall to undergo free checkups during celebratioons to mark the World Kidney Day with a theme  ‘Kidneys age just like you’.

Dr Phillip Cheptinga, a pediatrician at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, revealed that most people suffering from renal diseases fail to seek treatment due to ignorance and high cost of medication.

He added that lack of enough dialysis machines at major hospitals has also become an impediment to fighting the disease, especially among children.

“It is worrying that the country lacks dialysis machines for children. The Government should set guidelines on the same,” he added.

Uasin Gishu County health director Evans Kiprotich revealed that 10 per cent of the world population currently suffers from kidney complications.