The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo, says the Federal Government has taken drastic measures to check kidney- related and other chronic diseases in Nigeria.
According to Senator Banigo, the 10th National Assembly had captured key healthcare initiatives as outlined in the 2024 Appropriation Act, as a demonstration of government’s commitment to universal healthcare coverage in Nigeria.
The former Rivers State Deputy Governor noted that following routine investigation by her committee, arrangements have been put in place to provide potable water to chronic kidney disease- prone areas, which is a critical link between clean water and kidney health.
She said advocacy campaign and community mobilisation have been carried out vigorously across the six geopolitical zones in line with her oversight functions with members of her committee.
Senator Banigo, a Harvard-trained Public Health physician advised kidney patients to avoid smoking, which she said has harmful chemicals that can cause rapid deterioration of renal function.
She pointed out that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has embarked on the construction and equipping of zonal kidney and dialysis centres ,as well as research centres on nutritional contributions on HIV drugs interplay with kidney, liver and the heart performance.
This, she said, is vital in understanding the complexities of kidney health, stressing that all these measures are aimed at providing essential comprehensive healthcare services to the people.
