Saturday March 22, 2025

WAJIR, Kenya (HOL) — Health officials in Kenya’s Wajir County say kidney failure cases are rising sharply among ethnic Somalis, with more patients requiring dialysis and some facing the prospect of transplants due to late-stage diagnoses.

The latest figures from Wajir General Hospital show that 58 affected patients are men, while 21 are women. Doctors say many of these patients were only diagnosed after their kidneys had already failed—when dialysis or a transplant was the only remaining option.

Physicians say undiagnosed chronic conditions and excessive use of over-the-counter painkillers primarily drive the spike.

“Most patients don’t know they’re sick until their kidneys have already shut down,” said Dr. Daud Abdi Sheikh, a physician at Wajir County Hospital. “By the time they get to us, the kidneys have stopped working. We’re left with no choice but to begin dialysis.”

Kidney failure, known locally as kelyo istaag, occurs when the kidneys can no longer filter waste and excess fluids from the blood. Medical professionals say the kidneys must function at no less than 15% of their capacity to keep the body in balance. Once function falls below this threshold, patients require dialysis—a process that mimics the kidneys’ role by filtering the blood using a machine—or, in rare cases, a transplant.

Dr. Daud explains that this condition usually begins with seemingly minor but manageable health problems: hypertension, diabetes, or frequent use of painkillers. These are all common in Wajir and other Somali-majority areas.

“Kidney failure begins with small things that people ignore—high blood pressure, over-the-counter painkillers that people take regularly for headaches or back pain,” he said. “It creeps up quietly until suddenly, the kidneys stop.”

The challenge, he adds, is that many people don’t go for routine medical checkups. “Somalis usually don’t get tested every six months. That’s the problem. People often wait until they’re already feeling terrible—by then, it’s too late.”

He urges people, especially those with diabetes or high blood pressure, to undergo kidney and heart function tests every three to six months.

Wajir, a remote county in northeastern Kenya with a predominantly Somali population, has long struggled with gaps in healthcare access. The region has few dialysis machines and even fewer specialists trained to treat chronic kidney conditions. For many patients, access to consistent care is out of reach.

Local doctors are urging residents to seek regular medical screenings and avoid self-medicating, particularly with non-prescribed painkillers. Health officials say early intervention could prevent most kidney-related complications.

“Dialysis helps people stay alive, but it’s not a cure,” Dr. Daud said. “And in this part of Kenya, dialysis machines are few, and transplants are out of the question.”

He called on local governments and health authorities to invest more kidney specialists and diagnostic tools urgently. “If we train more people to specialize in kidney care, we can detect cases earlier and reduce deaths.”