Kidney diseases prevalent at mining communities. Dr. Asare

Health officials at the  Central Regional hospital say kidney cases reported at the hospital are from mining communities and nearby environment.

Chief Executive Officer of the hospital Dr. Asare said patients from Tarkwa, a mining community in the Western Region, often come to be treated for kidney related cases.  According to him, the kidney infection is as a result of the poisonous chemicals they are exposed to during their operations. Most of them are rushed to the hospital for kidney dialysis. 

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Kidney dialysis is a support given to an individual who has developed an end stage kidney failure, usually by the time he or she loses about 85 to 90 percent of the kidney function,and have a glomerular filtration rate. Dialysis keeps the body in balance by removing waste, salt and extra water to prevent them from building up in the body

And glomerular filtration rate is the best test to measure your level of kidney function and determine your stage of kidney disease.

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Explaining the various situations at the hospital to the Health Minister Kweku Agyemang Manu on Monday, August 14, Dr Daniel Asare revealed that 65 miners are currently on admission for kidney dialysis.

"Apart from diseases that cause hypertension, diabetes, and we have sore throat and others coming from Takwa"

He advised the illicit miners' to stop endangering their lives because it is expensive to treat kidney infections.