Chronic kidney disease is affecting children in Nigeria at an alarming rate, with around 500 patients, including minors as young as five, receiving treatment at Enugu State Teaching Hospital. In Borno State, particularly in communities like Guang within Maiduguri metropolis, approximately 30 per cent of individuals show signs of the disease—far exceeding the national adult prevalence of 10 to 19 per cent. Elevated cases have also been recorded in Yobe and Jigawa States. Medical experts, including consultant nephrologist Patience Kalu, attribute the rise in pediatric cases to untreated infections such as malaria and sore throats, misuse of over-the-counter painkillers like diclofenac, consumption of nephrotoxic herbal concoctions, and exposure to contaminated water or chemicals. Many children arrive at hospitals in stage four or five kidney failure due to delayed diagnosis at primary care centres.
Kalu noted that while peritoneal dialysis offers a gentler, home-based option for children, high costs and lack of parent training limit access. Kidney transplant remains the best long-term solution, but donor shortages and prohibitive expenses make it unattainable for most families, who often rely on out-of-pocket payments despite some NGO and church support. The National Health Insurance Authority has included limited dialysis coverage in its packages, but implementation remains inconsistent across states. Health authorities acknowledge gaps in care and are considering targeted interventions in Borno and neighbouring states while ongoing investigations seek to identify non-traditional causes beyond diabetes and hypertension.
A disease once considered adult-onset is now afflicting Nigerian children, exposing gaps in early diagnosis and primary healthcare response. When basic treatments for common infections are missed, and unregulated drug use goes unchecked, preventable conditions escalate into life-threatening chronic illness. The rising number of children on dialysis in Enugu signals a systemic failure long before they reach the hospital door.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
