QECH commemorates World Kidney Day
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) on Saturday commemorated the World Kidney Day with an aerobics session at the Blantyre Youth Centre.
World Kidney Day is observed on the second Thursday of March, but the hospital opted to celebrate the day on April 13. The day is observed to raise awareness on the importance of kidneys and reduce its associated health problems.
In an interview after an aerobics session, QECH paediatrician Dr Ethwako Mlia Phiri said five percent of kidney disease cases are being reported in children, though the situation is not dire.
She said it is, however, important for parents and guardians to take their children to hospital for checkups since some common illnesses are causing kidney problems in the children.
Said Mlia Phiri: “It mainly depends on why children have kidney problems. There are other children who were born with it and they need an operation.
“But most of the kidney disease in children is caused because of other conditions like severe diarrhoea and severe vomiting which leads to dehydration.”
She said considering that such common conditions have potential to cause kidney problems in children, parents should not wait for their children to get seriously sick to take them to the hospital to seek treatment.
Maness Redson from Chigumula in Blantyre, whose three-year-old Mlia Phiri: It is caused by many conditions child, Maranatha, was diagnosed with a kidney problem in 2023, thanked QECH for treating her child.
She urged fellow parents to ensure they rush their children to the hospital whenever they develop any illnesses.
