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Michael Bent, Regional Director of the SRHA
With non-communicable diseases being the leading cause of deaths in Jamaica, healthcare professionals in the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) are putting the public on alert amid a continued rise in the number of people presenting with renal failure.
While not providing comparative data, the authority revealed that there was a noticeable hike in 2024, painting a grim picture of the public.
In light of this, Regional Director of SRHA, Michael Bent, is calling for people to take greater care of themselves to reduce the cases of kidney failure. He adds that hundreds of patients are awaiting treatment for kidney disease.
"Right now we have over 200 persons who are waiting to get on to treatment in Mandeville. We currently run three shifts per day and including Saturdays. So we are stretched, and as I said before, it is not cheap. We have at least 63 persons now on dialysis at Mandeville Regional Hospital. The cost of operating is very high," he lamented.
Mr. Bent was speaking Wednesday at the media launch for the 3rd annual Custos Rotulorum Manchester City 5K Road Race.
The 5K Road Race, scheduled for May 4, is held annually to raise funds for the renal unit of the hospital. Some of the proceeds will be used to purchase an ultrasound machine for the hospital.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, 60% of reported cases of kidney failure involve people 45 to 64 years old. Chronic kidney disease affects all age groups.
In 2022, it was reported that an estimated 300,000 Jamaicans, or about 10 to 12% of the population, suffer from chronic kidney disease, with many more not knowing that they have the illness.