MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Jamaicans are being encouraged to do yearly screenings as part of a regime to maintain awareness of their risk of getting kidney disease.

Nephrology nurse manager at Mandeville Regional Hospital Marika Davis-Miller said people need to ascertain whether they are suffering from acute or end stage renal disease.

Speaking at a health fair on the grounds of Mandeville Regional Hospital in recognition of World Kidney Day celebrated last Thursday, Davis-Miller said more than 50 people were screened at the event.

“We are screening people to see if they are at risk of getting kidney disease, so we are getting blood pressure tests. We are doing glucose tests, urine tests and also we are using an i-STAT machine to test the chemistry to see if people are at risk for it,” she said.

The i-STAT is an in vitro whole-blood analyser that uses single-use cartridges for critical care tests at the point of care, such as blood gases, electrolytes, metabolites and coagulation.

According to Davis-Miller, since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic there has been an increase in the number of people being diagnosed with kidney failure.

“Once they catch (the virus) they have come down with acute renal failure and it varies in age — from teens to adults. The good thing about acute [renal failure] is that it is reversible if we catch it early,” she explained.

She said uncontrolled high blood pressure and uncontrolled diabetes are the leading causes of renal failure worldwide.

“We have a renal clinic [at Mandeville Regional] and the majority of the people, about 90 per cent, have either uncontrolled high blood pressure or uncontrolled diabetes, which leads them to end stage renal disease,” she said.

“For people in the clinic [with] end stage renal disease, we have five stages [of] renal failure. People will be there with stage three and then something can happen and they end up at stage five. When you reach five you need dialysis, so we have seen a number of people who need dialysis,” Davis-Miller said

Pointing out that the renal unit only has 12 stations and has a waiting list of people in need of dialysis, Davis-Miller said, “It is a burden on the system, because in order for somebody to get on the machine… [a patient] has to die, which I know we don’t really want to hear, but it is reality.”

She said the renal unit is aiming to host health fairs annually.

“Based on the theme for this year, it is about knowledge and educating people on prevention, so we would like for people to prevent renal failure. We are telling everybody what they can do to avoid it,” she said.

“First, do your screening every year, [check] your blood pressure and blood studies as well, exercise, eat healthy food. Those who are on medications please take [them] how they are prescribed,” she added.