By Ahmad Alabira, Dutse
The rampant cases of Kidney diseases ravaging the lives of the people in Jigawa, Yobe and Kano states may be a thing of the past, as scientists are set to research and ascertain root cause of the menace.
Through the National Research Fund, a team of researchers from the Federal University Dutse (FUD) hàve been engaged with N36 million research grant from TETfund, to investigate the rampant cases of Kidney disease in the Hadejia valley.
This was made known by the Lead Researcher, Dr. Muhammad Isa Auyo, Head of Department of Biological Sciences of the University, in the institution’s newsletter.
Dr Auyo noted that he developed interest in the research area, after losing six friends and family members to kidney failure in Hadejia.
The research is tagged “Rampant kidney diseases in Hadejia Valley, Yobe and Kano states”, the Study of Environmental Toxins and Gene Polymorphism.
Dr. Auyo further revealed that the study wants to find out whether there is the prevalence of gene càlled melallothionine which exposes people of Hadejia valley to kidney diseases.
“The research also wants to find out the environmental toxins present in Hadejia Valley in the last 30 years, as a result of the use of chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides which might have changed the ecosystem over the years”, he stressed.
These chemicals according to him might have affected the food chain especially crops, water and fishes consumed by the people which may have been responsible for the high prevalence of the kidney diseases in Hadejia town and environs.
He explained that the Hadejia Valley which stretched from Zakirai up to Nguru and Gashua has the highest rate of kidney disease in Nigeria.
“We will take samples of soil, water, vegetables, cereals, fruits, fishes and meat every month for 20 months in order to detect the presence of heavy metals in these samples”, he emphasized.
“The Sixteen-member multidisciplinary research team is divided into Medical team, Environmental team, Genetic team, and DNA sequencing team. Our research is for two years and findings will come with recommendations”, he added.
