MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Jamaicans are being reminded to screen annually for kidney disease amid the continued challenges in the public health sector with more than 200 people on the waiting list for dialysis at Mandeville Regional Hospital.

The plea was reiterated by nephrology nurse manager at the Mandeville Regional Hospital Marika Davis-Miller during a health fair on Wednesday.

The fair was held as part of activities to mark World Kidney Week which is being observed this year under the theme ‘Kidney Health for All: Caring for People, Protecting the Planet’.

“We are screening people to see if they have kidney disease. We want to prevent it. We are doing several tests here to see if anybody who is at risk, or if there is any way we can prevent kidney disease,” Davis-Miller told journalists during the health fair at Cecil Charlton Park in Mandeville.

“Each year we encourage people to come to our health fair, because we want healthy people who build healthy nations,” Davis-Miller added.

For years the Renal Unit at the Mandeville Regional Hospital has been providing dialysis for patients, but the demand for the service is high with several people on the waiting list desperate to get treatment.

According to Davis-Miller, 12 dialysis machines are now available at the Renal Unit in Mandeville but that is insufficient.

“It is not enough. We have outgrown our service. We started out with four and we have expanded to 12. We are thankful to our Southern Regional Health Authority which has always assisted us. We do need more machines, because people are getting sick,” she said.

“To get all of those persons on board we would need about 30 to 40 more machines. Remember the patients need twice weekly dialysis and if they are critical it has to be three times per week,” Davis-Miller added as she urged Jamaicans to protect their kidneys.

“Please flush your kidney. Drink more water, eat healthy, exercise, control your blood sugar levels, control your blood pressure levels, and do not take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory painkillers. We just want people to take care of themselves,” said Davis-Miller as she issued a plea for Jamaicans to take their health care seriously and not wait until it is too late.

“It is unfortunate that in Jamaica some people don’t understand the negative impact that kidney disease has. You have to go and do your health check. People when they come to us they are already at the end stage and it is five stages that kidney disease has,”said the nephrology nurse manager.

“If we catch it in the acute phase it is reversible, but unfortunately sometimes when persons come to us they are at the last stage. We call it end stage kidney disease and this is where they need dialysis. So if persons do their checks regularly we can prevent, or even slow, the progress of kidney disease. The waiting list is still over 200 persons and in order for somebody to get on, unfortunately somebody has to die,” lamented Davis-Miller.

She explained that dialysis is costly and can put a financial strain on patients and their families.

“It is a range from $14,500 to about $20,000 per treatment, so it depends on the dialysis unit that you go to, and that is expensive for the regular working class, because you need dialysis at least twice per week. In Jamaica we can only afford to give you twice-weekly dialysis. Ideally, it should be three times per week,” said Davis-Miller who also raised concern about men being hesitant to do health checkups leading to late diagnosis.

“It is unfortunate that some of our men don’t like to go to the doctor. No matter how you beg them and plead with them they are resistant to go and get their health check. Men just come out and do your checks. Know your numbers,” she said.

Junior resident in the Renal Unit Dr Kayris Foster shared a similar sentiment.

“Men tend to be more reluctant towards getting their health checked in general. Whereas women will be more concerned as it relates to changes in the colour of their urine, or the quantity of urine, unfortunately our men do not tend to get checked until they are swollen and not passing any urine at all… So you will have our men being diagnosed further down in the stages of chronic kidney disease as opposed to women who will be diagnosed early,” said Foster.

Among the free services offered at the health fair on Wednesday were blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, HIV tests, eye testing, and urine tests.

“We had doctors and dieticians, pharmacists here for people to talk to and get their assessment,” said Davis-Miller.