![\"f5951fba-bc9e-4237-82f8-1efcdd56d78c\"](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/f5951fba-bc9e-4237-82f8-1efcdd56d78c-e1491853713110.jpg\")
<\/p>\n12-year old Kimbly\u00a0suffered a kidney failure in June 2016, just two days after his sister, Vanessa, wrote her final exam paper to bow out of Junior High school. Her desire to continue her education currently hangs in the balance.<\/p>\n
Several weeks after being admitted at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital (KBTH), Kimbly was eventually diagnosed with a kidney problem.<\/p>\n
The doctors prescribed dialysis treatment for Kimbly, and for the past eight months, the hospital has become a second home for him.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI am here to cleanse my blood. The doctors say I have no kidney,\u201d Kimbly said in a wobbly voice. \u201cMy sister broke the news to me after my first surgery. I also overheard some of the doctors saying it. Finally, one of the doctors later confirmed it to me. They advised me about my eating habit and the fact that I could no longer drink too much water because my kidneys are no more normal.<\/p>\n
The nurses taking care of Kimbly describe how brilliant he is. But for his situation, he would have excelled in his academics however, the disease has taken a toll on him physically and now, he looks stunted.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe used to feel pain whenever he urinates so we thought he has gone to play with somebody or something. According to the doctors, the bladder has become open and weak to contain urine. It has affected his kidney so he can\u2019t urinate at all times. He is suffering from a chronic kidney disease and that means he\u2019ll have to be on dialysis his whole life, otherwise, transplant\u201d Vanessa, Kimbly\u2019s sister narrates how it all happened.<\/p>\n
Currently, Kimbly receives the dialysis treatment twice a week, contrary to doctors\u2019 advice of going at least three times for maximum benefit. Dialysis is supposed to perform the function of the affected kidney by using an artificial kidney to remove waste toxins (especially urine) that have been accumulated in the body. Unfortunately, in Kimbly\u2019s case, this daily function can only be performed twice a week; that\u2019s even when he is able to afford the treatment.<\/p>\n
![\"fb5cd9b6-77bc-473b-88e8-48fbdd724664\"](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/fb5cd9b6-77bc-473b-88e8-48fbdd724664.jpg\")
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Generally, dialysis is expensive and many people in Ghana cannot afford it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have about 10, 000 people who need dialysis in Ghana; that\u2019s from our estimate. There are only about 500 people who are receiving the treatment so it means for the rest of the patients we don\u2019t actually know what is happening to them. And these people are not getting the treatment mainly because of financial constraints\u201d Dr Adams Atiku, a senior resident doctor in the department of medicine at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital laments.<\/p>\n
The hospital currently charges GHC260 per session and Kimbly is one of the numerous people who have to depend on generous donors and sometimes the benevolence of some of the nurses to be able to afford the treatment. When Citi News\u2019 <\/strong>Farida Shaibu visited him at the hospital, she discovered that he had swollen eyes and was also confined in a wheelchair because the disease has also affected his movement. His sister, Vanessa explains how they have struggled all these months to keep him on the treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mother is mentally ill, my father is dead. I am the first born and we are four so he is the third born. The family has rejected us and there\u2019s no help, we don\u2019t have any hope. We are now staying with our grandmother who doesn\u2019t work. It\u2019s by God\u2019s grace that we have been able to keep him alive till now. Sometimes we have people to donate. Some of them pay for some time and then stop because the treatment is expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n Kimbly not getting enough treatment puts him under several risks. He often suffers a lot of complications when put on the machine. The nurse in charge of the unit explains that Kimbly\u2019s situation can be improved if only there is adequate funding for the treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cFor him, we\u2019re having challenges because he\u2019s a child. Because we are not able to get the correct asset for him, sometimes he reacts to what we\u2019re using now. At times he throws up on the machine, at times he shivers and then he cries too. I can say he is not enjoying treatment because of all these complications due to financial constraint.\u201d<\/p>\n Most patients who can afford dialysis are taken through a minor surgery called to get the blood flowing properly into their body but Kimbly is yet to undergo that surgery ever since he started the treatment. For now, the nurses are just improvising.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tube that we are using has been in use for a long time so they get infections. We have to get him the correct asset which costs about GHC1000 but there\u2019s no money. Even the tube he\u2019s using now we the nurses contributed to get it for him,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n The dialysis machine is supposed to pull out the blood through a tube, cleanse it and restores it into the body. Every session takes about four hours. This means patients will have to lie on the machine for that long. At the Korle bu teaching hospital, they join long queues to wait for their turn because there are only 24 machines to take care of over 148 of them. During the process, some of them experience fatigue, seizures and other complications. This can be traumatic.<\/p>\n The picture depicts Kimbly lying on the dialysis machine. He usually stays on it for three hours instead of four because he is a child. During this time, he feels weak, calm and almost in an unconscious state, oblivious of what is happening around him. He is one of the numerous children who come for the treatment here. Anyone can be affected, even babies.<\/p>\n Sometimes, patients even die while on the machine.<\/p>\n The case of Jessica Danso, also a 12-year-old student is a sad example. She died while receiving treatment at the hospital. She used to come for the session every Wednesday and Sunday like Kimbly. During one of the sessions, the nurses explained that her heart stopped while on the machine and there was nothing they could do to save her. She died shortly.<\/p>\n Doctors say people with the condition have so many challenges which contribute to the mortality. Currently, 17% of all deaths within the medical unit of the Korle Bu Teaching hospital (KBTH) are associated to kidney problems. Individuals diagnosed with such conditions often have heart problems, infections, and medical problems; mainly due to lack of financial support.<\/p>\n \u201cWe pay for his catheter because they can\u2019t afford so he is a typical example. He will come for dialysis and he will go until the next time when it gets serious; no money\u201d Dr Adams narrates how Kimbly has been managing for the treatment. \u201cIt\u2019s a miracle that he is still alive. There was a day that he came here unconscious. He was gone completely. We spent about five hours on him and because he is a child and we have to improvise for him. In fact most of the materials we use here are for adults so when the machine pulls the blood from you; it takes a certain quantity so if you are a child, you can collapse because it will take all your blood and there will be nothing left.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, there is no dialysis centre at the children\u2019s block of the hospital where children can have proper access to the machine and also receive proper medical care. Dr. Adams Atiku advocated for a special centre for children so they can also enjoy treatment.<\/p>\n As if Kimbly\u2019s situation is already not sniveling, this boy has to deal with the psychological effects of hoping that at least someone donates to get him through the next session. Because of the situation, he has stunted growth and his education has been put on hold even though he dreams of becoming a soldier one day.<\/p>\n It is quite interesting to know that they are living in absolute poverty and their challenges come in battalions.<\/p>\n \u201cOur family has rejected us; no one is minding us now. Even our rent has expired. All the tenants hate and insult us and call us poor. We do not even attend school. It\u2019s only my little sisters who attend school\u201d Vanessa narrates with her head bowed down. \u201cIt is only my little sisters who attend school and even them they ran shifts. Monday, the one after me goes and then the other one goes on Tuesday. That\u2019s how they also get some education.\u201d<\/p>\n For now, Vanessa\u2019s dilemma is to be able to afford other medications for her brother. Doctors say the consumables used by the hospital contribute for the high cost of treatment. Meanwhile, the medication to sustain the patients after the treatment is also another major factor that hampers a lot of them from forfeiting dialysis.<\/p>\n \u201cOn Monday after the treatment, the doctors said we have to start buying a drug for his blood. It costs GHC90 every day. As it stands, we cannot afford it because it\u2019s expensive. It is by the grace of God that he is still alive. He often gets infections, goes into coma for weeks and sometimes becomes very hot. I don\u2019t know what to do, I\u2019m even confused\u201d Vanessa cried.<\/p>\n \u00a0*Kimbly needs GHc 1,000 urgently for catheter. If you have been touched by this story, Kimbly needs your help to stay alive for at least one more day. You can donate any amount at the front desk of Citi FM or get in touch with Farida at Citi FM and we would be glad to take him through the next session. Thank you!*<\/strong><\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By Farida Shaibu\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 12-year old Kimbly\u00a0suffered a kidney failure in June 2016, just two days after his sister, Vanessa, wrote her final exam paper to bow out of Junior High school. Her desire to continue her education currently hangs in the balance. Several weeks after being admitted at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital (KBTH), Kimbly was eventually diagnosed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[19,374,11],"tags":[6068,3],"yoast_head":"\n![\"68738ef3-9f40-4823-8f65-b41ecf298b79\"](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/68738ef3-9f40-4823-8f65-b41ecf298b79.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Dialysis\"](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/b95b108d-3ed3-47bf-856d-731080a43f28.jpg\")
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