Uitenhage clinic shows the way on World Kidney Day

There simply is not enough awareness among healthy people about the serious nature of renal failure.

This was said by Michael Jantjies yesterday — World Kidney Day.

Jantjies is a professional nurse and one of the founders of a group that has invested in a multimillion-rand private medical facility — Renal Wise Health and Wellness — in Uitenhage.

“Most people who land in the clinic for dialysis didn’t even know they had kidney failure,” he said.

“People should be made more aware of this disease.

“We tried to create awareness today [Thursday] by handing out pamphlets on the streets of Uitenhage and we were invited to Greenacres Hospital, where we handed out pamphlets to people visiting patients there.”

According to a statement, the group of investors consists of former private hospital nurses who observed over the years that there was a demand for their services.

The facility, in Caledon Street, has been open for four months.

“Kidney failure can be caused by genetics, unknown hypertension for years or non-compliance with your medication, uncontrolled diabetes or you can be born with polycystic kidney disease — kidneys that have cysts,” Jantjies said.

The statement said the investors had already ploughed R3m into the clinic, leaving their permanent jobs and using their retirement savings to start the venture.

Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO Nomkhita Mona said the investment was not only a much-welcomed boost to the local economy but it also improved the regional capacity to provide quality health care.

“When locally grown companies start or expand, there is a greater positive multiplier effect as they tend to grow with their local suppliers, triggering the production of additional goods and services across the entire value chain,” Mona said.