Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 14, 2022 News
Kaieteur News – According to global calculations approximately 112,000 Guyanese have been affected by some form of kidney disease, yet, not many citizens are aware of the dangers and risks associated with this form of sickness.
As such, Kidney Foundation Guyana (KFG) —-a local non-profit—has undertaken to improve health literacy on the matter. The ultimate goal of the organisation is to get more citizens to understand the impact of kidney disease—an ailment which can affect people’s ability to work and lead productive lives or even lead to death. In a release to mark World Kidney Day, held on Thursday last, the KFG, which is chaired by Guyanese nephrologist, Dr. Areefa Alladin, outlined some of its efforts to sensitise the public on the issue. The KFG noted, for kidney care to improve, there must be an improvement of the education of the population.
Speaking of the degree of public knowledge on kidney diseases, the KFG admitted that from its assessment most people have little to no understanding about the functions of their kidneys and its importance to their overall health. “For example, most people …don’t even know where their kidneys are located. When these persons become afflicted by [kidney] disease and the subsequent effects on overall health can be [tremendous]….” the Foundation said in its release.
It continued, “That‘s the reason health literacy is essential. For kidney care to improve, we need to improve the education of the population. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which persons and organizations enable themselves or individuals with the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others. Improving health literacy largely rests with health care providers communicating and effectively educating those with kidney disease.”
More specifically, the KFG stated as it relates to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), there is need for focus to be shifted forward towards patient education and empowerment.
“Persons will make the right decisions for themselves when they are educated about their condition and available options. Empowering patients is an essential part of health care delivery,” the Foundation added.
The KFG said that it recognises that it takes a nation to improve kidney care and there must be interactions among individuals, health care providers, and health policy makers.
Therefore, the Foundation is partnering with several governmental and non- governmental organizations such as the Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to bridge the gap in understanding kidney disease and its health literacy.
“Priority areas include providing educational materials for patients and families across the country; educational and training sessions for patients and medical professionals on kidney diseases and dialysis; and producing a nutrition booklet for Guyanese to promote healthy diets,” the statement outlined.
In addition to this, the KFG said that non-physician health care workers, including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, social workers, and other allied health professionals, serve an important role in the care of persons with kidney disease as they spend more time with these patients during encounters.
“There are many opportunities for care providers to educate patients with kidney diseases. Patients are encouraged to ask questions and to have discussions with their health care team. The Health Centers can help identify those with or at risk of developing CKD and can initiate educating those persons and their family members about the role of diet and lifestyle modification for prevention of CKD. They can also identify and manage risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension which can lead to preservation of kidney function,” the release added.
The KFG continues its mission to educate and sensitize Guyanese about the kidney, how it is affected by disease, and how to maintain healthy kidneys. Educational materials such as pamphlets, media print, articles and interviews with patients, families and health care providers were circulated for World Kidney Day. These resource information can be found on the social media pages; (Facebook page – Guyana Kidney Foundation).
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