Management of kidney failure: prescriptions from nephrologist Professor Kane

In Ziguinchor, the fight against kidney failure faces a major obstacle: a lack of space and infrastructure to treat patients. Faced with growing demand, nephrologists and healthcare professionals are calling for the creation of a specialized center capable of meeting the urgent needs of patients.

“Every day, we receive between 10 and 15 new patients, whether they are new cases or patients already under our care,” warns Professor Yaya Kane, a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Assane Seck University in Ziguinchor and a full professor of Nephrology. At both the Peace Hospital and the Regional Hospital Center, the services are overwhelmed.

Chronic kidney disease, insidious and silently progressing, advances inexorably. While prevention remains the best treatment, many patients reach the terminal stage, where only dialysis or transplantation can prolong life. However, in Ziguinchor, only hemodialysis is available, with a very limited capacity.

Despite government efforts to equip regional hospitals with dialysis machines, demand far exceeds supply. "Ziguinchor's geographical location attracts patients from all over the region, but there are not enough places," Professor Kane points out.

Hence the urgent need for advocacy: the construction of a center dedicated to hemodialysis and transplantation. Such a facility would not only increase capacity but also offer specialized care and high-quality follow-up to kidney failure patients.

Beyond infrastructure, nephrologists emphasize primary prevention: screening for diabetes and hypertension, using urine test strips to detect abnormalities early, and raising public awareness. The media are called upon to play their role in disseminating this information, so that the fight against this "silent killer" becomes a collective priority.

Ziguinchor is facing a critical situation. Between the rising number of cases and the overcrowding of services, the construction of a suitable center has become a vital necessity. Without it, kidney patients will remain trapped in a system incapable of meeting the scale of the healthcare challenge.