• Lists hypertension, diabetes as key risk factors

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

A consultant surgeon and Chief Executive Officer of Wellington Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Abuja, Dr. Ugochukwu Charles Ugwuanyi, has raised alarm that over 9,000 new cases of end-stage kidney failure are diagnosed in Nigeria every month.

Speaking to journalists on 15 years of the hospital’s operations in Nigeria, Ugwuanyi said the figure is rising and assuming epidemic proportion.

“In August 2026, there are 9,000 new cases of end-stage renal failure in Nigeria every month. 9,000. And the numbers are increasing. So, it is assuming an epidemic pattern.

“And the question is, why is it so? Why is it so? And what is the solution? Because the solution is not in making noise on social media. It is to find out what the issues are and how you can help,” he said.

He listed hypertension and diabetes as leading causes of kidney failure in young people, lamenting poor health-seeking behaviour among Nigerians who rarely check blood pressure and blood sugar.

“Hypertension is one of the leading causes of kidney failure in young people. Two, diabetes. People don’t go about doing simple check of blood pressure or blood sugar. As a matter of fact, blood sugar, diabetes causes as much damage to kidneys as blood pressure itself,” he said.

Ugwuanyi blamed changing lifestyle for surge, including excessive alcohol consumption, late nights, consumption of frozen foods and indiscriminate use of medications.

“Cast your mind back, how many of our parents suffered kidney failure? They don’t eat food that is not fresh. They are very close to nature. They don’t cook their food with microwave. Look at our lifestyle now, you drink excessively,” he noted.

He also spoke on importance of having dialysis machine attached to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), saying ICU is not complete without renal dialysis unit.

“ICU means intensive care, is a place where you support organs through difficult periods so that they will pick up and start functioning independently again,” he explained.

Wellington Hospital, which began operations in February 2011 in Abuja, has marked 15 years of service, with 9,450 patients seen and 4,657 surgeries performed, according to Ugwuanyi.

Giving breakdown, he said brain operations accounted for 2,150 cases, representing 46 per cent, while spine operations accounted for 2,375 cases, about 51 per cent, covering cervical, thoracic and lumbar sacral spine.

He said other procedures involving peripheral nerves, orthopaedics, plastic surgery, gynaecology, prostate and kidney surgeries, contributed minimally, showing hospital has remained focused on its core mandate of neurology and neurosurgery.

While urging Nigerians to look inwards when seeking special medical treatment, Ugwuanyi said Wellington hospital is fully equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities that are found in other parts of the world.

He added that, “Aside trauma, accident, where there is paralyse and so forth. Well, only contributing 0.1 percent. Now, because we collaborate with other people, such as orthopedics, plastic surgery, gyne-prostrate, kidney surgeons and lately, we have counselors and all that. Well, you can see that all these grouped together just contributed 85 percent”

Ugwuanyi said the hospital also collaborates with other specialties and now includes counseling services, stressing that modern critical care requires integrated support for all failing organs.