‘Drug Abuse Leads to Chronic Kidney Disease’

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Chronic kidney Disease (CKD), being a debilitating ailment, is said to be one of the diseases caused by drug abuse especially among youth.

This was disclosed yesterday by a Professor at the Internal Medicine department of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Professor Aisha Nalado, during an outreach at Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo Secondary School, organized by the hospital in collaboration with Micro Nova Pharmaceuticals. 

Nalado explained that the percentage of youth suffering from kidney disease is on the rise globally, with about 50 percent of patients with chronic kidney disease in AKTH under the age of 30.

She further said that the excessive abuse of drugs mostly among youth made it compulsory for the hospital to sensitise the students on the effect of drugs on their kidneys so as to curtail the prevalence.

Also speaking, a Consultant Nephrologist, Dr Ademola Babatunde, disclosed that the signs and symptoms seen on patients with chronic kidney disease include; swollen face, foamy urine, blood in urine, and frequent urination at
night.

Babatunde also advised the students to avoid high intake of salt, sugar, carbonated products as well as reduce the consumption of traditional herbs which are also known causes of the disease.