13/03/2026
LASUTH NEPHROLOGY UNIT CELEBRATES WORLD KIDNEY DAY 2026
The Nephrology Unit of the Department of Medicine at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) celebrated World Kidney Day (WKD) on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The celebration commenced with a courtesy visit to the hospital’s management team, led by Prof. Olugbenga Awobusuyi, Head of the Nephrology Unit, alongside members of his team.
The theme for this year’s celebration, “Healthy Kidneys for All: Caring for the People, Protecting the Planet,” highlights the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits to protect kidney function. Such habits include drinking adequate clean water, maintaining a balanced diet, reducing salt intake, engaging in regular exercise, and controlling blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
In his welcome address, the Chief Medical Director, Adetokunbo Fabamwo, congratulated the Nephrology Unit on the celebration and appreciated the team for the courtesy visit. He commended Prof. Awobusuyi, describing him as a dedicated and committed professional who has ensured that the unit remains outstanding in the delivery of quality services to patients. He also expressed gratitude to the entire unit for their invaluable contributions to patient care.
Prof. Fabamwo further highlighted the crucial responsibility of the unit in managing patients with kidney diseases. He emphasized the importance of educating the public about kidney care, noting that many cases of chronic kidney disease are largely preventable but occur due to lack of awareness. He stressed the need to educate individuals living with hypertension and diabetes, as well as those who frequently use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, consume sachet alcoholic beverages, or take unregulated herbal products whose components may cause kidney damage.
The CMD added that these important health messages should be widely disseminated. According to him, commemorating a day such as World Kidney Day provides an opportunity to extend awareness beyond hospital premises and educate the public on kidney health.
Speaking earlier, the Head of the Nephrology Unit, Prof. Awobusuyi, thanked the CMD and members of the top management for granting the team the opportunity to visit and discuss the significance of World Kidney Day. He explained that WKD is a global health awareness campaign aimed at increasing knowledge about the importance of kidney health and reducing the impact of kidney diseases worldwide. The campaign also promotes early detection, prevention, and proper management of kidney related conditions.
Prof. Awobusuyi noted that World Kidney Day serves as an opportunity to create awareness about the functions of the kidneys and the importance of maintaining kidney health in society. He also highlighted that about one in ten people worldwide are affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). He noted that CKD often develops without noticeable symptoms in its early stages, but if left untreated, it may progress to kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation.
As part of the activities marking the celebration, the Nephrology Unit conducted patient screenings and health education sessions at the Diabetic Clinic and the Medical Outpatient Department of LASUTH. The team gave health talks, collected blood samples to check serum creatinine levels, and where possible conducted urinalysis. He said, these tests will help estimate patients’ glomerular filtration rates (GFR), which indicate overall kidney function, as well as detect any abnormalities in urine samples. The aim of the screening was to assess kidney function and inform patients of any signs of kidney injury or damage.
Present at the courtesy visit were the Director of Clinical Services and Training, Adebowale O. Adekoya; the Director of Hospital Administration and Human Resources, Olayinka Oye-Bamgbose; the Director of Nursing Services, Dr. (Mrs). Temitope Sikaiye; as well as members of the Nephrology Unit.