Adaptation of the renal clinic extension-mentorship model for chronic kidney disease prevention and control into the primary healthcare system in Nigeria

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease has become a global pandemic, with its burden felt mostly in developing countries where there is a deficiency or outright lack of policy and funding for chronic kidney disease prevention and treatment. In Nigeria, its prevalence stands at about 13%, with the majority living in rural settings, far flung from nephrologists. The recent success achieved in integrating chronic kidney disease into primary healthcare has yet to receive significant funding from many governments, including Nigeria. Sustaining efforts towards disease prevention remains unachievable, with renal teams only embarking on one-off community outreaches that often fail to diagnose the disease.
Contribution: In this article, the authors propose an adaptation of the nephrology clinic extension-mentorship model, which is designed to enable community-based kidney care that is anchored on nephrology teams acting as the fulcrum and basic functional unit. The model focuses on setting up semi-autonomous, quasi-renal clinics in local government areas in communities across Nigeria that will serve as platforms for sustained community engagement and participation in kidney care. The model also systematically entrenches continual screening and diagnosis of chronic kidney disease amongst at-risk groups within and outside the health centre premises through the provision of laboratory equipment and personnel that are specific for the purpose.