1.0 Introduction
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a leading public health problem
worldwide.1 The global prevalence is estimated to be
between 5% and 15%2,3. The National Kidney
Foundation estimates that 20 million Americans have CKD and at least a
further 20 million individuals have an increased
risk4,5. CKD and its associated complications have a
significant impact on patients’ quality of life. The magnitudes of the
effect are diverse. Provisional data suggests the occurrence of
estimated 850,000 fatalities every year and 15,010,167
disability-adjusted life years6.
In Nigeria, the peak prevalence of CKD is between the third and fifth
decade of life, thus contributing to manpower and economic
waste7. In a report by Ulasi and
Ijoma8, highlighting on the magnitude of CKD in
Nigeria with the situation in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital
(UNTH) Enugu, Southeast Nigeria, they documented that end stage renal
disease (ESRD) cases accounted for over 8% of all medical admissions
and 42% of renal admissions.