Kidney cases on the rise

THE PREVENTION of kidney disease and other non-communicable diseases (NCD) remains the top priority for medical officials as more young people are being diagnosed with them.Consultant nephrologist Dr Emile Mohammed said there was a general rise in the cases of NCDs in Barbados.“We are seeing a rise in cases of high blood pressure and diabetes in young people, so we will also see a rise in the number of people in need of dialysis. We also have an ageing population so we are seeing people from young to old on dialysis.“We need to step up our prevention efforts to a higher level to ensure the cases do not progress to kidney failure,” he said.Mohammed was speaking yesterday during a presentation ceremony for a US$19 000 haemodialysis machine donated to the Artificial Kidney Unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by taxi operator Harcourt Walkes.Mohammed said although kidney disease patients could survive on dialysis machines once they followed instructions, those machines were not the solution, despite the fact that they were a necessary component of quality health care.In addition, he said Barbados was “probably” the only country in the English-speaking Caribbean without a waiting list for dialysis treatment.“If you need dialysis, we will find a way to get it to you,” he said.Mohammed said there had been a drastic rise in kidney disease patients in need of dialysis since the service was started in the late 1970s. He said it began with three patients but now served 200 with an average of 20 new patients per year. Five-year contractDirector of Engineering Services Paula Yarde said the donated machine would join with six others ordered through a five-year contract with dialysis products provider Renal Dynamics.Yarde said the machines would be ordered in sets of six over an 18-month period to add to their existing 22 machines, some of which were in need of replacement.Walkes, 63, of Bagatelle, St James, has been working with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for 30 years so when he came into almost BDS $3 million last month via the Mega 6 Lotto draw, he made up his mind to give something back.“I drive around ‘kidney people’ all the time and through that I have become friends with them and hear about their difficulties so I thought I would help,” he said.Walkes, a member of the Barbados Diabetes Association (BDA), said it was also a part of a promise he made to God.“I prayed to win that money and I said if I did, I would give back ten per cent so this is a part of that ten per cent,” he said.Walkes said he approached the QEH and inquired how he could assist with a dialysis machine.He said he also helped out his “patients” financially and  contributed to the Diabetes Association, adding he would consider making another similar donation to the QEH “once I win again”.Walkes said he continued to play the lottery. However, he said the life of a millionaire had its downsides as well.“I have had strangers come to my house and call me on my telephone to ask for loans, but I don’t take them on although it can be difficult to deal with at times,” he said.Despite this, Walkes said he continued to live his life as he always did and would continue to work – although not quite as hard as he used to. (CA)