By Amaechi Agbo and Joseph Joy, Enugu

A university lecturer, Professor Umezurike Hughes Okafor has called for the establishment of kidney centre in Enugu State.

Prof Okafor made the call on Thursday while delivering the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT’s 38th Inaugural Lecture at the College of Medicine, Parklane Enugu.

Discussing the topic: “Would you like to live a healthy life? Then keep the Purifier Purified” Dr Okafor lamented the increasing wave of kidney transplant tourism by South East residents to countries such as India, UK and US.

While explaining the concept of kidney as the body purifier, Prof Okafor opined that lack of adequate care, healthy live mechanisms has exposed the kidney to dangerous ailments which when not detected early could lead to chronic outcomes

“Recently we carried out a study among kidney transplant patients in South East Nigeria with the aim of determining the frequency and pattern of transplant in the region. We found out that 99% of patents had their transplant in India with majority of them using commercial donors. We observed that 6 were carried out in Nigeria, 4 in UK and 113 in India.

“India was also the country with cheapest cost. This bring us to the fact that out of 126 patients studied, Nigeria had only 6. This is not as a result of lack of qualified personnel of doctors, but lack of establishing kidney centers.

“It is important to emphasize at this point and this is also a call, on the Enugu State Government to establish kidney centre in the state that will take care of kidney related issues among the people in the region, particularly. When kidney infirmities are detected earlier, survival rate is high,” he said.

Prof Okafor who highlighted instances of kidney cases he has handled both at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital and currently at the ESUT College of Medicine, gave explanations on why he chose the topic and advised Nigerians on what to do to keep the kidney healthy.

“The title of this Inaugural Lecture stems from the fact that the kidney is the purifier and contributes immensely to our healthy living. Through my sojourn in renal medicine, I have seen people with ill health, hard stories of woes, torment, truncated/unfulfilled dreams, shattered relationships, and families thrown into poverty whenever the purifier is not healthy or purified.

“To live a healthy live and keep the Purifier Purified, you need to take at least two litres of water daily, avoid high salt or sodium intake, be cautious with sugar, take fruits and vegetables, keep fit and active, do not smoke, be cautious or avoid using unprescribed medications, be sure of that herb and supplements you want to take, report any abnormality to your health practitioner,” he advused.

Earlier while declaring the lecture opened, the Vice-Chancellor, ESUT, Professor Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, said that the current management of the university pays premium attention to Inaugural lecture adding that the momentum will be sustained.

He explained why the 38th Inaugural Lecture was held at the College of Medicine instead of Agbani, the main campus of the university.

“It is important for us to broaden our spectrum. When the decision to host the 38th Inaugural Lecture was made, some persons kicked against it, but one thing we discovered today is the fact that this auditorium has become too small to accommodate the people in it. This leaves us with the decision to now start talking about expansion.

“In UNN where I came from, if Inaugural Lecture is being held and the lecturer comes from UNEC, it holds in UNEC. If from Nsukka, it holds in Nsukka. It is important for us to balance the situation and give each campuses equal stake.

“After today, the next Inaugural Lecture, the 39th edition, will hold in two weeks’ time at Agbani. Before the end of the year, we are going to design a new robe for all Inaugural Lecturers so that only those who have delivered their inaugural lectures will wear it,” he concluded.