A volunteer organisation under the aegis of Atim Ekanem Foundation has embarked on aggressive enlightenment for the prevention of kidney-related diseases among rural communities in Akwa Ibom state.
The medical outreach campaign team visited Abiakpo Ikot Essien and Urua edereobo rural areas in the Ikot Ekpene council area of the state.
The team stormed the communities with volunteer Health workers and conducted free sugar tests, sample urine tests and donated food items to cushion the effects of economic hardship in rural areas.
Villages visited for the health campaign include Urua Edereobo, Ata Essien Uruk Uso and Abiakpo Ikot Essien communities where the Volunteer Health team of the foundation was received by Village Heads and community leaders.
Delivering health enlightenment talks to a cross-section of rural dwellers, the Founder of Atim Ekanem Foundation Mrs Etido Kretsechmer explained that she established the team to create awareness of the dangers of kidney-related diseases that have killed many people in Nigeria, especially African rural communities.
Kretschmer said her mother Mrs Atim Ekanem died of kidney disease and she spent all her money to rescue her but all in vain as she finally died from the sickness.
“My motive and intention is because of my late mother. I Lost my mother to kidney disease. And I knew what she went through -the pains and the trauma.
“It wasn’t an easy task caring for someone with kidney disease. She was on dialysis and at some point, she refused the dialysis even when I wanted to donate my kidney to her my mum rejected it. She said that at that I was a child I should live.”
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Kretsechmer who comes from Ata Essien Uruk Uruk Udo in Ikot Ekpene local government but married to a German national explained that she decided to use her foundation to educate those in the rural areas so that they will not suffer kidney-related diseases like her mother.
She advised people to drink water always and avoid junk food and drug abuse especially paracetamol which according to her destroys kidneys and disrupts body metabolism resulting in swollen feet as symptoms of malfunctioning kidneys.
She warned the rural dwellers to eat vegetables and exercise regularly to keep their kidneys fit at all times.
“We have lost some celebrities and Nollywood Artists to kidney disease. It is expensive to cure.
“I want to reach out to millions of Nigerians in rural communities because they are dying daily for this kidney related problems. They can’t afford medical treatment”.
She therefore appealed to Donor Agencies, International organisations and government at all levels in Nigeria to support the foundation to reach out to Nigerians.
“I want to reach out to millions of people If I have the financial capacity.
“For now I am starting in 3 local government areas beginning with my local government Areas Essien Uruk Uso, Abiakpo Ikot Essien and Urua Edereobo.
“The outreach will be regular. I want to make sure that I reach out to my people every first and last week of the month. We would also follow up on those we have already tested and get them admitted to our private hospitals.
