An NGO, Nathaniel Kidney Foundation, donated consumables to kidney patients at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) Specialist Hospital in Minna on Saturday.


Chairman of the Foundation, Mr Gideon Makeri, led its team to make the donation at the dialysis unit of the hospital.


Dailyledger.com.ng reports that the foundation was established in memory of a 24-year-old Nathaniel Matthew, a first class graduate of Federal University, Lafiya, who died of kidney failure.


Makeri explained that Matthew conceived the idea of the foundation while he was receiving treatment at the dialysis unit of the hospital to help the less-privileged diagnosed with kidney disease.


He said items donated were dialyser packs, bloodlines, dial carbonate and normal saline among others.


Mrs Zainab Matthew, mother of late Nathaniel, also said he conceived the idea of the foundation while battling with kidney disease.


She said the foundation was also established to create public awareness on kidney diseases and the need for people to protect their kidneys.


“While my son was on admission at this IBB Hospital, he saw how people struggled to pay for treatment.


“It was then that he came up with the idea to establish a foundation to support the people, if God spared his life.


“I am happy that his dreams are being fulfilled, although his demise left a devastating memory on us as a family; with this foundation, his memory lives on,’’ she said.


Receiving the items, Dr Bala Waziri, Chief Medical Director, IBB Specialist Hospital, lauded the foundation for the gesture.


He noted that the items would go a long way to support kidney disease patients and reduce overwhelming burdens on their families.


He said also that the hospital had activated an Indigent Patients Fund to support indigent patients and called on philanthropists to support such patients through donations.


He added that donations were used to give free treatment to indigenes with kidney issues, adding that cases of kidney problems were on the rise and were quite challenging and demanding.

Dr Waziri said kidney failures were caused by consumption of carbonated drinks, refined products, high sugar intake, overweight, herbal medicines, pain killer drugs, and excessive alcohol intake and bleaching.