By Mai Gevera
About 200 kids in Barangay Caliclic, Island Garden City of Samal had their urine screened for free as the Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) reached the said barangay in their information dissemination and urine screening project.
Results from the urine samples of those kids are taken as data to determine as to whom among them need further check up and medications to prevent complications.
Besides the urine screening, a pool of specialists conducted a lay forum participated by more than 100 mothers along with their kids.
We informed them that that there are many types of kidney diseases that if not recognized in the early stages could often lead to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), said Dr. Frank Guillano.
Guillano, however, claimed that these diseases: Diabetic kidney, Chronic glomerulonophritisis, Hypertensive Kideny, and Pyelonephritis are potentially preventable if diagnosed early in the course of illness, avoiding the need for expensive ESRD treatment such as dialysis and transplantation.
National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) psychiatrist Dr. Reynaldo Lesaca Jr, stressed the need to take care of the body to prevent kidney trouble in the future.
Our normal kidney needs 8-10 glasses of water for adults daily and 6-8 glasses for kids., he said.
Other important tips mentioned are the need to have a regular urine screening or urinalysis because it is an effective and cheapest tool to detect possible symptoms of kidney problems. Urinalysis can check ones protein, glucose, blood, and puss in the urine.
Participants of the lay forum also heard the story of an ESRD patient Minda Quitoriano as to how she suffered and fought the disease.
Quitoriano shared her battle especially on the financial difficulties that she and her family is undergoing until now.
A candidate for kidney transplant would normally need P300,000-P500,000 if its a charity case but private operations would require P1 million and more., she said.
Even if the transplant was over, Quitoriano still spends at least P600 per day for her medication.
After the operation, my body is now prone to infections because I no longer have immunity to virus and bacteria. she said.
Nevertheless, Quitoriano still volunteers to join the REDCOP team in visiting different barangays to hold forum and urine screening.
Theres no better way to show how thankful I am for the chance of life despite acquiring this disease but to tell the people how difficult it is to have this kidney problem and convince them to take care of their health as early as possible. she said.
The lay forum and urine screening was a joint project of the Philippine Information Agency, Renal Disease Control Program, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and the local government of the Island Garden City of Samal. (PIA/Mai Gevera) davaotoday.com
