VICTORIA KASANGA writes
@SunZambian
A GRADE nine pupil in Ndola has been battling with renal failure since last year, a condition which has effectively curtailed her education as she has remained on dialysis in hospital.
Precious Mwanza has since been on peritoneal dialysis at Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital (ADH) as a critical renal failure patient since October last year.
Peritoneal dialysis is used to remove excess fluid, correct electrolyte problems and remove toxins in patients with kidney failure.
Medical practitioners have advised that the child will have to remain on dialysis until a kidney transplant is conducted.
The Sun caught up with Precious and her guardians, who are now seeking financial assistance to meet treatment requirements of the girl.
Precious is a grade nine pupil at Kansenshi Secondary School of Excellence and now her education has been halted due to the illness.
Her uncle, William Mwanza, said he was seeking financial assistance from the Government and members of the public as he was currently unemployed.
Mr Mwanza said the father of the child was deceased and she is left with the mother who is currently working as a hair dresser, but her monthly income was unable to cater for the child’s medical expenses.
Mr Mwanza said the child has been in intensive care unit from the time she was diagnosed with the ailments and that the situation has been the same ever since.
He said it had been stressing for the family as there was not much they could do as her condition fluctuates.
“There are moments when she would feel better but just after some days, she would get critical to the extent that the child wants to give up,” he said.
He said within the family, there was no compatible donor for a kidney transplant and in the meantime she has to survive on peritoneal dialysis.
“We are therefore asking for any financial assistance to ensure she continues with her treatment until she undergoes kidney transplant,” he said.
He said the child has a bright future as she wants to get back to school and continue learning with her friends.
Mr Mwanza said the family spends more than K1,500 per month on her medical requirements but now that he was not in employment, it had become difficult.
Her mother’s monthly income was way below the monthly medical requirements.
ADH Senior Medical superintendent Dr Jonathan Mwansa said the patient will be referred to the renal team at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) for assessment.
Dr Mwansa said the team needs to assess her condition and determine the possibility of whether the kidney transplant could be done locally or abroad once a donor was found.
He said Precious needs a kidney transplant as both her kidneys were not functioning but while still waiting for a compatible donor, she has to survive on peritoneal dialysis.
“We have qualified specialists in the country. We already have a record of a successful kidney transplant operation,” he said.
Dr Mwansa said the hospital has to wait for the findings from the renal team as they were in a better position to advise.
