HOW REGULAR HEALTH CHECKS CAN SAVE YOUR KIDNEY – PROF. OLUGBENGA AWOBUSUYI, CONSULTANT NEPHROLOGIST

HOW REGULAR HEALTH CHECKS CAN SAVE YOUR KIDNEY – PROF. OLUGBENGA AWOBUSUYI, CONSULTANT NEPHROLOGIST, LASUTH

The Nephrology Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) recently joined the rest of the world in celebrating the year 2022 edition of the World Kidney Day themed “Bridge the Knowledge Gap to Better Kidney Care”.

Led by Professor Olugbenga Awobusuyi, a Consultant Nephrologist and Head of Nephrology Unit in LASUTH, the Unit kicked off its activities for the day with a courtesy visit to the Chief Medical Director, Professor Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo and other members of the hospital management.

During the visit, Prof. Fabamwo applauded the Unit for taking steps to bridge the knowledge gap in the community. He expressed his concerns about the harmful practices in the community which culminate into degeneration of their body organs.

He encouraged health practitioners at large to focus the intensity of their awareness campaign on educating people in the rural areas. He said what the Unit is doing is a huge contribution to drive awareness level in the community and around the world.

He also used the opportunity to encourage everyone to get on board and be registered with the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme, which could come in really handy when faced with health challenges.

Professor Awobusuyi described kidney disease as a very common disease that needs to be detected early to avoid health complications that can lead to death or hamper proper functioning of some other organs in the body. He advised Nigerians, especially those above the age of 40 to always get themselves screened regularly, check their blood pressure, sugar level, and their urine all time.

He explained that the sensitization program the hospital is carrying out through the Nephrology Unit will help the people in the community understand the important role the kidneys play in the body and how they should be properly be cared for.

He therefore, encouraged people to take advantage of free screenings to ascertain that there are no lurking medical conditions in their bodies.

The sensitization train moved from the hospital premises to the popular Alade Market at Allen Avenue in Ikeja to educate the people of the community on the need for regular check-up to know their health status. Activities that heralded the programme included a free health talk, weight and height check, blood pressure check, blood sugar check, as well as Kidney function tests.

The Iyaloja of Alade Market, Chief Mrs. Elizabeth Aina Adenuga, appreciated LASUTH for choosing the market as the venue for the sensitization program and bringing the programme to their door step which made it easier for the members of the community to take advantage of the free health education and health checks.

She went further to make an appeal to the hospital management to make out time for more enlightenment programmes during the course of the year.