Prof. Boima calls for shift in Africa’s approach to kidney care
Professor Vincent Boima, Head of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Ghana Medical School, has called for a fundamental shift in the approach to kidney care in Africa, describing chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a growing but under-recognised public health crisis on the continent.
Prof. Vincent Boima, head of the University of Ghana Medical School's Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, has advocated for a significant change in Africa's approach to kidney care. He described chronic kidney disease (CKD) as an escalating yet under-recognized public health crisis on the continent, affecting around 14% of adults.
Prof. Boima noted that the average age of individuals undergoing dialysis in Ghana is 45, emphasizing the impact of kidney disease on people in their productive years. He urged the public to be vigilant about early warning signs such as frequent nighttime urination, foamy urine, and facial swelling. As the disease progresses, symptoms like fatigue, concentration difficulties, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, and shortness of breath may arise.
However, Prof. Boima cautioned that some individuals may not exhibit any noticeable signs despite having kidney disease. He highlighted the importance of mental health support in managing chronic illnesses, particularly among patients with hypertension, CKD, and dialysis patients. Prof. Boima proposed routine mental health screenings for patients in hypertension and kidney clinics as a crucial part of comprehensive care.
He stressed prevention as the most effective and cost-effective strategy to tackle the growing kidney disease burden in Africa, urging greater emphasis on early detection and prevention over expensive treatments for advanced stages. Prof. Boima warned that Africa cannot solely rely on dialysis to manage the increasing number of patients with end-stage kidney disease, describing it as prohibitively expensive.
Instead, he advocated for greater investment in kidney transplantation, which offers better survival outcomes and quality of life compared to long-term dialysis. Despite this, he pointed out that many African countries lack sufficient transplant services, even though end-stage kidney disease is more prevalent in Africa than in high-income countries.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
