The Principal Nursing Officer and Head of the Paediatric Nephrology Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Beatrice Nyann, has raised concerns over the increasing number of kidney-related conditions being recorded among children in Ghana.

According to her, exposure to heavy metals and environmental toxins is becoming a major contributing factor to the growing cases of kidney disease among children.

Speaking in an interview with JoyNews on Monday, May 25, 2026, Beatrice Nyann dismissed suggestions that the concerns are based on speculation, insisting that medical evidence supports the claims.

“It’s not hearsay. It is not rumour mongering. There are clear evidence and data to suggest that there’s a direct linkage between kidney disease and these heavy metals,” she stated.

She explained that the kidneys are particularly vulnerable because they serve as filters that remove toxins from the blood.

“The kidney is like a strainer. It cleanses the blood of all the toxins and all these metals will get to the kidney. Some will directly affect the kidney and lead to kidney failure,” she explained.

The KATH specialist further disclosed that health professionals are increasingly recording congenital kidney abnormalities among children, a condition she said may be linked to pregnant women’s exposure to environmental toxins.

“There’s also been evidence to show that the exposure of pregnant mothers to some of these toxins can cause kidneys not to be formed well,” she said.

According to her, although efforts are ongoing to compile detailed statistics, the number of cases being seen at health facilities continues to rise.

“Even in my clinic, I can say probably now about 40%, though we need to put the statistics right, but we are seeing increasingly kidney anomalies,” she revealed.

Beatrice Nyann also noted that some kidney conditions that previously affected one side of the body are now being detected on both sides in many children.

“It used to be one-sided. Then you see there’s a blockage in the tube that brings the urine down. But now it’s both sides. It’s becoming one too many,” she lamented.

She advised parents to pay close attention to early warning signs of kidney disease in children, including swelling of the face, feet and stomach.

She particularly urged mothers with male babies to monitor how their children urinate, stressing that abnormal urine flow could indicate underlying kidney or urinary tract complications.

“When your child is peeing, check whether the pee comes straight at a distance or whether it is dribbling. Once it’s dribbling, it sends antenna up high that there might be a blockage in the urinary tract,” she cautioned.

The paediatric nephrology expert further indicated that many parents often mistake symptoms of kidney disease for normal weight gain or allergies, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment.

“Some people think the child is putting on weight and that it is a sign of good living, but sometimes it is kidney disease,” she warned.

ANAS/VPO