Kidney Association of Belize Invites Everyone to Get Tested

As today is internationally recognized as World Kidney Day, the Kidney Association of Belize is reminding you to take care of your kidneys. To ensure that Belizeans are taking preventative measures to combat kidney disease, the association will be holding its annual health fair, on March fifteenth in Belize City. There, visitors will have access to doctors and healthcare providers to conduct several checkups and tests for conditions that affect the kidney, free of cost. We spoke with former president of the association, Ruby Nicholas, for more information. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting    

Diabetes and hypertension are two of the most common conditions that affect Belizeans, and both are leading causes of death in the country. As part of International Kidney Awareness Month and World Kidney Day, the Kidney Association of Belize is hosting its annual health fair in order to ensure that Belizeans are taking steps to ensure kidney health before it becomes too late.

 

Ruby Nicholas, Treasurer, Kidney Association of Belize

“Today is World Kidney Day and tomorrow we’re planning our health fair on March fifteenth. It will be at the Lions parking lot, KHMH, and there we will be allowing persons to come in and we’re inviting the entire public. Everything that we present there will be free of cost, and we want to, the public to become aware of their health status. We’ll be having their blood pressure check, their diabetes check your urinalysis check, and then those who are showing high readings or concerns in whatever the test may be showing, we will also be having them doing their blood tests, the kidney function blood tests.”

 

Ruby Nicholas says that this annual event is a crucial part of kidney care, as it allows for people to detect anomalies in their health and combat any underlying issues early on.

 

Ruby Nicholas

“We will be having doctors there, nurses, nutritionists, we will even invite for HIV rapid tests. and then as well as having invitation from BCVI to give appointments for them to check their eyes. So everything will be holistically being checked for the individual and that is going to be associated with the kidney area to see where your status is. Those who will be having issues with their health, we will try to advise them to do referral and for them to seek further attention. Our main focus will be on patients or persons who may be diabetic, hypertensive, even yourself you’re unaware of where you are with your health, we’re inviting you out there tomorrow.”

 

Doctor Natasha Gongora of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, explained the eight golden rules of kidney health.

 

Natasha Gongora, Internal Medicine & Nephrology Specialist , K.H.M.H.

“Eight golden rules to take care of your kidneys include one, keeping a fit and active life. Two, controlling your sugar levels. Controlling your blood pressure. Four, controlling a good weight. Having a good weight by eating healthy. Five, if you smoke, no smoking. Six, drink plenty of water. Seven, if you have pain, for example, no over the counter painkillers, they can cause more damage to your kidneys. And eight, most importantly, if you know you have diabetes, if you know you have high blood pressure or heart disease in your family, kidney stones, just get that check up. That’s the number one thing we want patients to do.”

 

The event will be held in the Lions parking lot near the K.H.M.H. and will occur between nine a.m. and four p.m. on March fifteenth.

 

Ruby Nicholas

“We know that kidney disease is on the rise. This is evidently shown by the amount of people. Who are calling and asking for assistance through the Kidney Association of Belize. We’re trying to ensure that educational awareness become an important aspect of the association to try to ring the alarm out there for people to know that this kidney disease is not slowing down.It’s, as a matter of fact, we are having too many people with dialysis, doing dialysis, too many people causing to pass away. because of the lack of funds. So prevention for us is an important aspect of it. And tomorrow will be a revelation of what it is to do a preventative care using it as a health fair.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.