A professor of Internal Medicine and Nephrology at the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Oghenekaro Egbi, has said that Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) will soon become the fifth largest cause of death worldwide.

While presenting his research report during the 65th inaugural lecture of the university, Prof. Egbi further explained that in Nigeria alone, up to 230,000 individuals require life-saving interventions such as dialysis or kidney transplants.

According to his findings, the increase in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, as well as the persistence of infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, resulting in a double burden of disease, are responsible for the prevalence of chronic kidney disease.

The report also highlighted that over 68 per cent of admitted cases in tertiary hospitals in Bayelsa State had NCDs, with a rising trend of genetic and man-made factors, including environmental factors, which contribute significantly.

Speaking on the causes of the rising wave of CKD, he said: “We live in a changing world where it is more convenient to patronise restaurants and food outlets. Majority of these industrially prepared foods in the society are highly processed and contain artificial additives, flavours, sugar, sodium, refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats.

“Examples of such products include soft drinks, canned beer, canned meat, salted/sugar nuts, hamburgers, flavoured yoghurt, and instant noodles. These foods are currently very rampant in our supermarkets.

“Consumption of ultra-processed foods carry a 24% higher risk of kidney disease. Consumption of red/processed meats have been linked with kidney disease. Up to 1/3 and 1/5 of individuals with diabetes and hypertension respectively in developed countries have CKD.

“However, glomerulonephritis (from infections, toxins, etc.) account for a significant proportion in our setting. A good proportion of my work was devoted to identifiable risk factors of CKD.

“Risk factors were shown to be prevalent in both urban and rural communities. In a study among staff of a tertiary hospital in Bayelsa State, one out of every five persons had hypertension, while a quarter were obese.

“Two-thirds of the hypertensives were unaware of their diagnosis. In a study in Benin, only 11.9% of hypertensives were aware of CKD risk, with poor health-related practices.

“In a rural community in Bayelsa State, up to a quarter had hypertension, while in Edo State, 13.9% had diabetes, with two out of five having no awareness and one out of every four persons obese.

“Apart from established medical conditions, societal factors may contribute to the excess risk and burden of kidney disease. Kidney disease was most prevalent in Obunagha, the actively gas-flaring community, compared with the non-gas-flaring one (Azikoro).

“Active gas flaring was associated with increased risk of reduced kidney function. Kidney function was unrelated to concentration of gases in ambient air. Individuals living in communities where gas is regularly flared are at risk of kidney disease.

“This effect seems independent of gaseous matter, unlike that for respiratory disease. Poverty is contributory to the unprecedented rise in the burden of NCDs in this setting.

“Up to 63% of persons living in the country are considered multi-dimensionally poor (National Bureau of Statistics, 2025). Adequate management of CKD is almost impossible in this setting. There is a high drop-out rate from dialysis due to the high cost.

“Up to 61% of the patients in a dialysis centre in Bayelsa State could not afford dialysis beyond the few initial sessions in the first week. Although about 3 out of 10 patients with ESKD in developed countries undergo kidney transplantation, less than 1 in every 100 Nigerian patients attempts kidney transplant.

“Patients pay out-of-pocket for services. Inadequate infrastructure and resources, socio-cultural beliefs, poor awareness, manpower shortage and lack of appropriate legislation are challenges.” (Saturday Tribune)