Kidney disease is the third leading cause of death in Mozambique

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Kidney disease is the third leading cause of death in Mozambique

1:36 CAT | 13 Mar 2020

File photo: O País

Health officials are concerned about the increase in cases of kidney disease, a silent illness which is already the third-highest cause of death and the sixth-highest cause of hospitalisation in the country.

Cidália Amália has run a business in Maputo Central Market for 18 years, and last year saw her father die due to kidney complications. The month before that, her cousin died of the same disease. But she never knew about the disease or what to do about it.

It was to raise awareness of the disease that the Maputo Central Hospital haemodialysis service visited the central market this week to warn about the severity of the disease and outline preventative measures, under the motto “Kidney health for everyone, everywhere, and access to treatment for all”.

Kidney disease is a slow, progressive disease which affects the ability of the kidneys to filter impurities out of the blood. Its main causes are associated with diabetes and high blood pressure.

Thirty people are treated for kidney disease at Maputo Central Hospital every day, and another 50 are on the waiting list. Treatment is expensive – Maputo Central Hospital spends up to 50 million meticais per month on the disease.

By Isabel Manhiça

Source: O País