Namibia faces kidney disease challenge, high dialysis costs

Today is World Kidney Day, a global initiative focused on increasing awareness of the vital role kidneys play in our health and reducing the prevalence and impact of kidney disease worldwide. We interviewed Dr. Glenda Kalunga, a local nephrologist, who has been testing for kidney disease at dialysis centers countrywide.

Namibia has a total population of 3.02 million people and has more than 300 confirmed cases of chronic kidney failure disease. Kalunga says there’s a high-cost burden on patients for dialysis treatment.

Meanwhile, according to BMJ Global Health, chronic kidney disease is a global public health problem, affecting individuals from low-income and middle-income countries disproportionately, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the growing evidence pointing to an increasing prevalence of CKD across Africa, there has not been an Africa-wide concerted effort to provide reliable estimates that could adequately inform health services planning and policy development to address the consequences of CKD.