Early detection of kidney disease in Ghana - A situational survey of secondary hospitals in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Authors

  • Elliot Koranteng Tannor Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital
  • Kamarudeen Korku Hussein Manhyia District Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Martin Agyei Department of Medicine, School of Medicine Sciences and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Vincent Boima Renal Unit, Department of Medicine, Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31191/afrijcmr.v4i2.68

Keywords:

kidney disease, Ashanti Region, Early detection, Urinalysis, district hospitals

Abstract

Background

Patients with kidney disease are referred late to tertiary institutions with increased morbidity and mortality. The accurate diagnoses and management of kidney disease by primary healthcare staff is dependent on the requisite knowledge and availability of adequate laboratory services. We set out to describe the practice pattern of districts Hospitals.

Methods

We conducted a situational cross-sectional descriptive survey of district hospitals within the Ashanti region of Ghana. A structured questionnaire was designed via google survey and the links sent to medical superintendents and/or administrators for completion. Data was exported onto an Excel sheet and analyzed with Stata 13. Summary statistics with means ± standard deviation and medians with interquartile range were used where appropriate. Percentages and proportions were used for categorical data.

Results

We surveyed 26 hospitals in the Ashanti region of Ghana. This included 23(88.5%) public facilities. Most 25(96.2%) of hospitals had a dedicated diabetes mellitus clinic and 24(92.3%) had dedicated hypertension clinic. Only 5(19.2%) hospitals routinely requested urinalysis for patients with diabetes and hypertension during visits. Almost all 25(96.2%) hospitals could carry out routine urine analysis in their laboratory but only 16 (61.5%) of the hospitals could run serum urea and creatinine test. Most 25(96.2%) of respondents suggested that the training of health staff for the early diagnosis and management of kidney disease as key to improve care.

Conclusion

Primary healthcare staff in district hospitals do not routinely screen high risk patients for kidney disease and call for training to manage patients with kidney disease appropriately.

Author Biography

Elliot Koranteng Tannor, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

Dr Elliot Koranteng Tannor is a Specialist Physician and Nephrologist at the Komfo Anokye teaching Hospital (KATH). He is also an Adjunct Lecturer with the Department of Medicine of the School of Medical Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He is a Member of the West African college of physicians (WACP) and Fellow of the international society of Nephrologist (ISN) after training with Prof Razeen Davids in Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa from 2014-2016 passing the Nephrology certificate exams with Distinction and MPhil Nephrology with Cum laude.

During his stay in Tygerberg hospital he enhanced himself by taking up courses in Research Methodology, data management and exploratory data analysis organized by the Centre for Evidence based health care of the Stellenbosch University and Fundamentals of Epidemiology from 1st July to 30th November, 2015 organized by the Division of Community health of the Department of Interdisciplinary health sciences.

Dr. Tannor is a Principal Investigator of the KNUST site of the H3Africa Kidney disease research network. The H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Network has recruited over 7,000 subjects with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and controls into research studies. The study now embarks on genotyping of Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene variants in recruited subjects. These studies will allow an understanding of the contribution of APOL1 gene variants to the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in black Africans.

He is also in charge of the African association of Nephrologist (AFRAN) renal registry for the Kumasi site. His research interest are in lupus nephritis and quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease and those on chronic dialysis and interested in using qualitative research to ascertain the quality of life of and patients with end stage renal disease on renal replacement therapy. 

 He is currently also rejuvenating the renal unit of the KATH with proper management of patients on hemodialysis and have started performing renal biopsies for the adequate management of kidney disease in KATH. He plans to start chronic peritoneal dialysis in adults at the KATH soon. He is also setting up a database for proper record keeping of patients with kidney diseases in the Ashanti region..

 

Elliot is also involved with advocacy to help prevent kidney diseases through talks on radio, television, churches and organizations. He is also a board member of a non-governmental Organization (NGO) involves in preventing non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and kidney diseases. He has also written a lot of articles for publication in the most popular media houses in Ghana such as The Graphic, myjoyonline.com, and Ghana Business news.

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Published

26-03-2021

How to Cite

Tannor, E. K., Hussein, K. K., Agyei, M., & Boima, V. . (2021). Early detection of kidney disease in Ghana - A situational survey of secondary hospitals in the Ashanti Region of Ghana . African Journal of Current Medical Research, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.31191/afrijcmr.v4i2.68

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2021): Subdued? II

Section

Research

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