Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa
Herald Reporter
THE National Men’s Forum for Economic Development Zimbabwe says there is need for urgent action to curb the growing burden of kidney disease to prevent it from undermining national health and development.
The forum’s call comes as the country prepares to join the rest of the world in commemorating World Kidney Day on March 12.
The silent epidemic is projected to become the fifth leading cause of death globally by 2050, as kidney disease is seen not only as a medical challenge but a social and economic crisis.
The forum’s health advisor, Dr Obadiah Moyo, said early detection is critical because kidney disease often progresses unnoticed until advanced stages.
“Kidney disease is a silent killer and we must encourage our people to get tested early through simple procedures like urine albumin and serum creatinine tests. Early detection saves lives and reduces costs for families and the health system,” said Dr Moyo.
With millions of preventable deaths worldwide and rising costs for families and health systems, he said Zimbabwe must prioritise awareness, prevention, and sustainable care to safeguard future generations.
In this regard, Dr Moyo emphasised the global scale of kidney disease and argued that Zimbabwe should treat it as a national priority.
“Kidney disease affects more than 850 million people worldwide, exceeding 10 percent of the global population,” he said.
“By investing in awareness, prevention, and sustainable kidney care models, Zimbabwe can save lives, protect families, and contribute to Vision 2030’s goal of a healthier, more prosperous nation.”
Dr Moyo said environmental pressures and resource limitations intensify the crisis, making prevention more urgent.
“In low-resource settings, 90 percent of patients needing dialysis cannot access it, resulting in millions of preventable deaths each year,” said Dr Moyo..
“Even in high-income countries, kidney replacement therapy consumes two to four percent of health budgets; so we are saying, let us work to prevent the kidney disease.”
Dr Moyo said addressing risk factors like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension requires stronger public health initiatives.
“We need to expand education and awareness campaigns in schools, workplaces, and communities,” he said.
“There is also need to strengthen health systems for prevention, early detection, and advanced treatments like transplantation.”
