NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 09, 2017) — The first of three one-week capacity building workshops for health professionals on Nevis, on Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention and Control, commenced on November 07, 2017 at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Hall on November 07, 2017. The workshop is part of a three-year project.

Hon. Mark Brantley, Deputy Premier of Nevis and Minister of Health, believes the project provides a major opportunity for the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) to deal with the situation of Chronic Kidney Disease on the island. The project, is the first medical and public health venture between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and St. Kitts and Nevis, since establishing diplomatic relations 34 years ago.

“This programme, when it was proposed we thought it was timely and necessary…We do have a chronic situation in the Federation and indeed in the Caribbean with kidney disease and kidney failure…

“I think at the end of the day we are demonstrating, through this partnership, a very real effort to try and confront this real disease and this real situation that we have affecting us,” he said.

Mr. Brantley, noted that the Nevis Island Administration has been grappling every year with its budget because of the phenomenal cost associated with the effects of kidney disease.

At present, there are 479 diabetic and 526 hypertensive patients registered at health facilities on Nevis. Diabetes, Hypertension and obesity are proven to have a direct impact on the development of Chronic Kidney Disease and end stage Renal Disease.

The Health Minister, said the partnership with the Republic of China (Taiwan) to tackle the issue of Chronic Kidney Disease through education and training, is a landmark effort which will transform the health care sector on Nevis and bring relief to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis in the end.

Mr. Brantley used the opportunity to thank His Excellency George Gow-Wei Chiou, Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to St. Kitts and Nevis and the Government and people of Taiwan for their continued assistance to St. Kitts and Nevis in particular Nevis.

Meantime, Mrs. Shelisa Martin-Clarke, Health Planner in the Ministry of Health noted that in the prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease the risk factors must be targeted through education awareness with a focus on lifestyle modification. It includes the consumption of healthy diets and regular exercise.

However, she said controlling the disease is dependent on early detection and effective management through diet and medication or Renal Replacement Therapy with dialysis or in the case of advance stages; renal transplant.