SPECIAL REPORT: Inside Yobe govt’s fight against kidney diseases

In a region plagued by poverty aggravated by almost two decades of a violent insurgency by the Boko Haram terror group, the emergence of a widespread chronic kidney disease severely impacts life expectancy.

With chronic kidney disease (CKD) reaching epidemic proportions, the Yobe State Government in north-east Nigeria is pioneering a unique approach to combat this dangerous killer disease.

A recent study published by Africa Journal Online showed that the prevalence of CKD is high in the Northern district of Yobe State. The report indicated that the origin of the disease is “unknown” and recommended further studies “to define environmental or cultural factors that contribute to the high prevalence in this region.”

The figures have been alarming, said the Chief Medical Director (CMD) at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu, Baba-Waru Goni. The professor said his hospital conducts more than 60 dialysis sessions weekly.

Govt to the rescue

Worried by this dangerous trend, Governor Mai-Mala Buni’s administration recently launched a programme that offers free dialysis to patients and invests in groundbreaking research “aimed at uncovering the root causes of the disease.”

While interacting with journalists about the intervention, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Bego Abdullahi, spoke of the governor’s commitment and determination to address the challenge.

Since the launch of the intervention, the CMD, Mr Goni, said the hospital conducts an average of 60 free dialysis sessions a week, with each session costing N50,000.

“This is a lifeline for patients who would otherwise be unable to afford the treatment,” said Mr Goni.

“Government has to bear that cost because there is no way an individual or a family already struggling with the financial devastation that goes with renal failure can afford this.”

Beneficiaries speak

To 45-year-old Musa Ibrahim, who had almost given up on life, the initiative is a beacon of hope.

“I thought I was finished,” said Mr Ibrahim, his voice quivering with emotion as he spoke to this reporter from his sick bed.

“The pain was unbearable, and the cost of dialysis was beyond my reach. But then, the state government stepped in. They are saving my life.”

Fatima Yusuf, a mother of three, was also diagnosed with kidney failure a year ago.

“When the doctors told me about my condition, I felt as if the ground should swallow me,” she recalled. “I couldn’t imagine how I would afford the treatment. But now, with the free dialysis sessions, I have hope again. I am grateful to the government of Yobe under the kind leadership of Governor Mai-Mala Buni and the medical team in this hospital for this life-saving intervention.”

Researching the root cause

The impact of the state government’s initiative goes beyond providing immediate relief. The Yobe State University has established the Biomedical Science, Research and Training Centre, where a consortium of foreign-trained medical scientists is delving into the causes of the kidney disease epidemic.

“We are conducting pioneering research to understand why kidney disease is so prevalent in our region,” said Mr Goni, the CMD.

“This research is crucial because it offers the potential to not only treat but also prevent this devastating disease in the future.”

The initiative has garnered praise from medical professionals and patients alike.

“The state government’s commitment is unprecedented and has set a new standard for healthcare intervention,” said the CMD, adding: “By offering free dialysis and investing in essential research, we are not just managing the crisis but actively seeking to eradicate it.”

The Yobe State Government said it has invested over a billion naira in equipment and personnel capacity development to enable it to establish the BioRTC – a research centre that will provide solutions to local problems.

Donor hails initiative

Mr Goni said equipment valued at over N1 billion had been acquired with the support of the state government through grants and donations secured through a US-based Mahmoud Maina, a British-Nigerian neuroscientist, educator, and researcher at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom.

Mr Mahmoud, who hails from Yobe State, focuses his research on the cellular and molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES during a virtual meeting, Mr Mahmoud said the nature of uncommon medical gadgets at the centre drives the research.

“What we have at the BioRTC include state-of-the-earth equipment like Applied Biosystems, 7300 Real-Time PCR system, jeZeiss Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopes 780 and 700, LI-COR Odyssey imaging, full tissue culture suite, Cellular biobank, Nikon Eclipse Microscope 50i with fluorescence, Bio-Rad Mini-Protean System, UVP BioDoc-It imaging systems and others,” he said.

Others speak

Officials at BioRTC stated the equipment has clinical significance due to its capability to visualise detailed cellular structures and perform live cell imaging. These features aid in observing dynamic processes within cells in real-time.

“Multicolour Fluorescence Imaging allows for the simultaneous visualisation of multiple fluorescent markers, which is essential for complex biological studies like cancer research, neuroscience, and developmental biology,” said the researchers at the centre.

“Additionally, the Full Tissue Culture Suite, which supports Drug Testing and Development, enables the screening of potential drugs on cultured cells, thereby speeding up the development of new therapies.”

The head of the centre, identified simply as Kawuwa, a professor, said following approval from the Yobe State Government, Mr Mahmoud, who supervises the works at BioRTC, has initiated a three-way partnership among the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, University College London, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

“The aim of this partnership is to investigate the increase in kidney diseases in Yobe and Borno states and develop effective solutions,” Mr Kawuwa said.

He added that currently, the centre is housed in a small single-block laboratory within the Yobe State University campus. However, he noted that its expansion has become necessary due to the arrival of state-of-the-art medical research equipment supported by the Wellcome Trust and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

“We are glad that the government of Yobe State has approved the construction of a complex for the BioRTC which would accommodate the additional medical equipment we are expecting as well as the ones we have now,” said Mr Kawuwa.