By Tony Okafor
The rising cases of kidney and heart diseases in Nigeria are disturbing. These are no longer ailments confined largely to old age. Increasingly, they are affecting people in their productive years, raising serious questions about how we eat, drink, medicate and live.
The seriousness of the situation was brought home on August 13, 2026, when more than 500 people suffering from kidney-related illnesses reportedly gathered at a teaching hospital in a South-East state, seeking urgent financial assistance for dialysis and other treatments.
Such a gathering should worry every Nigerian. Behind the figures are families struggling to keep loved ones alive and patients who cannot afford the treatment they desperately need.
The World Health Organisation identifies unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful alcohol consumption among the major preventable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol further increase the risk.
There is, however, another disturbing dimension requiring urgent attention: the uncontrolled promotion and consumption of herbal remedies and unverified health products, particularly on the internet and social media.
Every day, Nigerians are bombarded with claims that one concoction can cure hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, erectile dysfunction, infertility and virtually every other ailment. Herbal medicine itself is not necessarily the problem.
The danger lies in unregulated products, undisclosed ingredients, wrong dosages and the substitution of professional medical care with products marketed by content creators, many of whom have little or no medical qualification.
A recent study linked the risk of kidney disease to practices such as regular use of herbal supplements and traditional remedies, indiscriminate use of painkillers, and prolonged or excessive consumption of alcohol.
The adulteration of food, beverages and alcoholic drinks also deserves stronger regulatory attention. Excessive alcohol consumption is an established cardiovascular risk factor, while excessive salt, sugar and unhealthy fats contribute to hypertension, obesity and other conditions that can damage both the heart and kidneys.
Government must therefore strengthen NAFDAC and other relevant agencies, particularly in monitoring products sold online and cracking down on adulterated food, drinks and medicines. Social media platforms should not become unrestricted marketplaces for dangerous medical claims.
Medical practitioners also have an important responsibility. They must uphold the Hippocratic Oath and the fundamental principle of putting the preservation of human life and the welfare of patients above commercial considerations.
Healthcare must not be so commercialised that patients become afraid to visit hospitals because of prohibitive bills.
Government should also champion a sustainable subsidy programme for essential medicines, especially drugs used in managing chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and kidney-related ailments.
Making essential medicines more affordable could save lives and reduce the number of Nigerians who resort to unverified alternatives.
Nigerians, too, must take responsibility. A glowing testimonial on Facebook, TikTok or WhatsApp is not a medical prescription. Regular blood-pressure, blood-sugar and other appropriate health checks should become routine.
The nation cannot afford to wait until hospitals are filled with patients requiring dialysis, heart surgery or lifelong treatment. Prevention is cheaper, wiser and more humane.
The gathering of more than 500 kidney patients seeking help should be treated as a warning signal, not merely another human-interest story.
Government, health professionals, regulators, manufacturers and citizens must act before these silent killers become an even greater national tragedy.
