The concluding part of Dr. Tosin Fadeyi’s interview with Olu Aluko. It’s a great read. Below are excerpts
What are the reasons for the increased cases of Kidney failures and Renal Failure {Heart Attacks?}
Kidney failure occurs when people refuse to follow or abide by medical
advice or observe simple basic hygiene standards. The disease used to be an age-related ailment, found especially in people who had suffered long years as Hypertensive or Diabetes patients. But these days, the younger ones are also having a fair share and also experience the pains of the killer disease. Kidney failure is now notably found in 24-25 year-olds in the society.
A recent research discovered a very strong link between Kidney Failure and Alcoholism. The more alcohol consumption, the deadlier the painful effect if has on the kidney of the consumer.
Unfortunately, there is this increase in alcoholic drinks out there in
recent times, different brands, attractive packaging but filled with
deadly poison- all in the name of drinks or bitters to be taken as
cure for one ailment or the other. Some of these drinks come handy in packs and mini-packs, Cans and bottles in sizes and in diverse colours just to make them attractive and pleasant to the eyes. The local gin sellers also, eager to be noticed, joined the frail by adding herbs to their drinks; they call it ‘Agbo’ Jedi, Dongoyaro, Monkey Tail and all other funny names. If only people will listen to words of wisdom and get expert medical advice because if they realized the contents of these drinks that make people high just for some few hours but thereafter inflict painful damage on their body working systems, they will think twice before taking the next cup.
After every intake of any alcoholic drink, lots of the toxic contents
go straight into the body system, thereafter, the body system will
not be able to excrete the toxic waste deposits from alcohol
consumption because the main excretory organ – the Kidney – has been affected. And once the Kidney is affected and is down, the next most likely organ of the human body to be affected is the Heart.
Alcohol also has serious negative effect on the heart because of the
chemical contents which, if broken down, puts alcohol in the same
category with drugs that people take or use for medication. These
chemical contents allow alcohol when consumed to affect every part of the system in the human body, the brain, blood vessels, the eyes, the nose, the intestines, the lungs, the liver, the kidneys, the nerves
and even the mouth used in taking the alcohol – every part of the body
pays the price/ and suffer the effect. In essence, too much alcohol intake affects both the performances and the working conditions of the Heart and the Kidney.
So is there any solution in sight?
On our part as Doctors is to take time to advise, monitor and encourage our patients that whenever people are on medications especially hypertension and other related health issues, they should stay off alcohol completely. Some of them do protest – ‘Ha, me not to hang-out with friends at weekends because I am on medication, why?
‘This is like a death sentence” I just laugh and remind such person that only the living hang-out with friends, once a person die, life goes on as the friends will continue hanging out with other friends that have life. Most patients listen to advice and act accordingly while those who
detest are always coming back to pay so very heavily for their disobedience. Few unlucky ones do die after their families would have
spent fortunes trying to fix damages in the body which could have been avoided earlier.
Another research also recently confirmed that there are bleaching creams on sale now that contain chemical ingredients that cause renal failure. These bad bleaching creams come very cheap and can be found everywhere – bus stops, on street hawkers, by the road sides and are usually for very low affordable prices. There are some very good body creams on the shelves too but they are quite few and could be found only at reputable Supermarkets because they are usually very expensive. My concern here is why is it now that even the whites acknowledge that Black is beautiful, that people chose to start bleaching? I just can’t reconcile it. Why is it now that every Aishat, Ronke, Deborah, Sade, Tope, Funke chose to tell the Creator of all that the skin He gave them was not good enough and therefore want to change and become like the whites?
I see some of these people, they look so beautiful naturally until they began to bleach and conflict of colours takes place on their faces and legs due to the effect of chemicals in the creams applied. Some are so irritating and it’s like gush…… Excuse me……. Like I mentioned earlier and in summary, Hypertension is one of the silent killer-diseases around. It is also the cause of heart disease as well as kidney failure.
Apart from kidney failure what other disease is prevalent in our society?
DIABETES is also another killer disease on the increase now, perhaps because of the type of food available before us these days or maybe we just made the choice. Nowadays, it is fried this, Fried that, it is either Fried Rice – Fried Chicken, Fried Fish, just mention it. Even
the soup is always spiced or seasoned to taste, nothing comes naturally any more. And the restaurants kept increasing, with each outlet trying to outdo the others as the best chef in town. Most of them sell junks that are not good for the body systems as food. The aged and old grandparents that are already 70, 80, 90 years old used to eat lots of fruits and vegetables especially from their farms hence they were able to attain such age. These days, the young ones that were to take care of these old people are the ones passing on to the great beyond at tender ages because of what they eat and drink.
There is absolute need for us to watch, control and monitor what we
eat and drink so that we could enjoy a life of sound health.
In the same light, Personal Hygiene is also a key factor here. It is also very important that we keep and maintain regular and personal hygiene every time.
For instance, when people learnt that Ebola does not send, if it comes and descend upon a home, the likelihood of any survival is very slim, you saw how people rose in unison to tackle the outbreak – that is what I am talking about. People heard that Ebola spreads and kills as
it spreads along, till today most people have imbibed that idea of hand washing with soap and life goes on thereafter. That is the spirit of personal hygiene and it must not be allowed to die, clean homes, clean offices, clean shops and a clean environment will always keep away malaria and other parasites from people.
Doctor, please has the National Health Insurance Scheme reached the ordinary man on the streets?
That is one great battle the Nigerian Medical Association has been fighting with the authorities concerned that the scheme must get to the people at the grassroots as fast as possible as it was basically meant for the people at the community levels. But like every other good thing, the scheme is taking its steps in strides, even though slowly, yet it is certain that someday very soon it will go round to all Nigerians. One known fact that cannot be called a challenge is that the scheme is being enjoyed presently mainly by corporate bodies because the resent Health Managers of the scheme, we call them HMOs, as the Coordinators find out that only the organized are readily available and coordinated enough for the scheme because they have and keep records of Staff on their payrolls, unlike most other group of people who are mainly artisans and self-employed.
The scheme will surely go round until the benefits get to every citizen in the country, as a matter of fact, it is work in- progress. In Ghana where I had my Medical training in their University, all I did was to just present my Scholar’s Identity Card and pronto, I got registered and started enjoying the Insurance Scheme even as a foreign student till I finished my studies and training there, I enjoyed the benefits of NHIS. Nigeria too will get there soon, it’s a matter of time.
Why do Medical Doctors always discover something bad in most food items meant for the poor?
No, No, it’s not like that at all. Doctors are also living beings, human beings just like you, they are no Angels, and I am sure none of us has ever presented himself/herself as one. What we say and emphasize most times has always been that people should regulate the rate and quantity by which they consume certain food items. Take Gaari for example; when you take in the form of Eba late into the night, you experience some level of discomfort in your stomach because it takes an average of four hours for the body system to digest any food intake. Doctors are concerned about the health of people hence they always speak out on the contents of some specific types of food people consumption from time to time. It’s not that we doctors just like to raise alarm or shout for no just cause.
Another issue here is how people/patients react when you talk to them
and advise them to be on Diet. Some of them assume good diet means they will have to have enough money to buy lots of expensive food items and assorted stuff. This happens all the time. When Doctors advise you to go on Diet, you are simply being encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables. Our nation is blessed with all sorts of fruits and vegetables and also with many ethnic groups to be able to prepare each vegetable to look attractive to the eyes, tasty and very nourishing when eaten. Gladly, most of these ethnic groups have names for the soups prepared with unique ingredients added for effects and adoration.
God has so blessed and enriched us as a nation to the extent that it is not likely a Nigerian will claim to be too poor as not to be able to prepare Egusi soup or Okro soup or even Ugwu Vegetables because most of these leaves are there on the streets, even in some nearby neighborhood farms and they all contain the stuffs that qualify them as Diet food items.
They are rich in natural ingredients for healthy living. It does not have to be sort of combination of expensive food items, No, because some of those food items you claimed were meant for the poor were actually being taken even by the so-called rich in the society. What Doctors always advise was that there is no point eating Eba in the morning, soak and drink Garri with groundnut in the afternoon and for dinner you mix same garri with beans as night food…..the day’s meal had Garri all through. This eating style does the body system no good
and should be discontinued. More worrisome is the fact that most people eat such food very late and deep into the night, this will surely make digestion a bit difficult and the person may likely stomach discomfort as a result. Regardless of people’s status in the society, Doctors advice to you to go on Diet simply means, EAT MORE FRUITS and EAT MORE VEGETABLES! The secrets of most of those packages food supplement capsules being sold at very exorbitant prices out there is the Carrots, vegetable, fruits and melons we have but refuse to eat. They now package them and bring it down here to sell to us. That is why you always hear them say the Tables/Capsules contain Natural Fruits, Natural Herbs etc. these are the things you see all around here that people overlook. An Ugwu seller will always enjoy better health when she maintains personal hygiene and eats the vegetable than a rich person that eats only Fried Rice and Turkey & alcohol all the time.
How has the weather affected people who visit to the hospital?
The weather or Climate change has not in affected people’s visit to the hospital because our climate here in Nigeria is Forest Vegetation.
This means we have lots of trees in the vegetation and this attracts more rains every time it’s due. As a result of this, Malaria remains the major disease because the parasites responsible for the sickness and enjoys wet and cold areas, cool places. The rainfalls make floods gather in potholes, ponds and all such places because trust our people, it is not everybody that will hearken to the call for personal hygiene in their environment. Other disease that comes outside Malaria during the rainy season is sporadic depending on other factors and regardless of the weather.
What do you enjoy most as a Doctor?
Ha! That is such a big one. You see, for me the joy of serving people, helping people, seeing them smile in expression of joy for what they have gotten from me gives me satisfaction. I feel fulfilled and happy that I am doing what God has called me to do and I derive joy doing it.
The ability to contribute to the happiness of others, help people and support the growth and development of mankind in my own little ways has always been my passion, and I am glad that’s what I am doing now.
How do you cope with or handle difficult patients?
Ha! In fact it is with prayers. These groups of patients come in handy but I am always in tune with my Creator, my heavenly Father and my Almighty God. He has never failed me. When such patients come into the Consulting Room and they wonder ‘…..What, is it this small person the Doctor that will see me and attend to me? After we get talking and they see that one is real and Professional from every side, some of them try to become close and always seek to come back again and again. So, there is no special way to deal with or handle difficult patients. I only pray to God, ask for Him wisdom from heaven and go ahead to get things done with as divinely inspired. This is not to say that some of these patients never went overboard, they sometimes do. These ones, you have to beg and try all you could to win them to your side, when they remain adamant. What I do in such stubborn cases is to just refer them to my bosses around and continue with any other assignment before me.
Have you ever been embarrassed by any patient before?
Oh Yes. I have been embarrassed so many times in this hospital. Funny enough, one happened few hours before you stepped in this place. A lady came in, she’s asthmatic patient and as the Doctor on call, I was beckoned upon to come see. I met her with her husband. Immediately I stepped into the room where they were and I sat before them, the woman’s countenance changed and it’s like…..What, this little girl, here as A consulting Doctor? You know from experience with people and due to regular interaction, in a way, you will develop or acquire some level of Psychology – that is ability to read people.
There and then her female defense went up and every effort I made to make her open up on her medical challenges failed. But she is the one having the problem, yet she was not forthcoming and she started acting rude like someone determined to sort of create a scene to attract other people around. I just overlooked her antics, went ahead with my job including listening to her heartbeat. That was when I discovered she was not breathing well at all. She was having serious issues with her respiration… sort of going through respiratory distress, going through a sort of attack. I then took the necessary steps to stabilize her. On my way back to the Consulting Room I needed to have her medical history but since she needed to stabilize I beckoned on the husband to come give me the medical history, other information about the wife’s health, when and how it all started, what drugs she had used and others.
In a flash, I just did not know how it happened, as if acting in a movie, this woman sprang to her feet screaming behind me and after husband…Why are you leaving me here? Come and sit down with me here? Why are you following the Doctor all over the place? It was like hell let loose because she was just shouting and this caught the attention of everyone there. There and then I tried to calm her down and tell her that I needed information about her health history to enable us do a proper follow-up and monitoring of her condition & to also advise him on how he too could be of assistance to her speedy recovery. No way, this woman would not have any of such explanation, rather, she flared up the more, ‘….please come and get any information you need from me, not from my husband……’ and she stormed the Consulting Room where her husband was sitting and insisted the man must come sit by her at the Pharmacy.
I had no other option than ask the man to go sit down with his wife for peace to reign. In the end, I too went to meet them, sat there with them, got the information I needed and the woman left the hospital a more relaxed person. And I am happy it all ended that way.
I don’t think it is anybody’s fault, concerning my looking smart and beautiful, and even with what some people consider as my small stature. Each and every living soul was wonderfully created by the
Almighty God in His image. Why do people consider someone too small for certain talent or blessings God decided to give to that person?
How do you relax?
If I am not working, I am either sleeping or writing, I am very hard working so, I equally love to sleep a lot. This is to enable me have enough rest for the task ahead. I also read a lot and I watch EPL football and movies too.
So you like and watch football?
Yes, I like football and I watch European matches too. I am a Chelsea
fan and it is always a thing of joy each time I see my darling Club thrashing the opponents during a match. I just go ‘Up Blues’ every time this happens… but when the team is losing a match especially at
Stamford Bridge……oops! It hurts…….
Dr. Tosin Fadeyi
Interviewed by Olu Aluko.
08051476622, 07036090333