Nigerian actress and movie director Ufuoma McDermott has narrated the ordeal she went through when battling with kidney disease.
In a candid conversation with Chude Jideonwo on November 7, 2024, the renowned actress narrated how she became affected with kidney disease due to self-medicating, to cure a chronic migraine.
“My kidney disease started from drug abuse because I was swamped with what we call the hustle. I had a migraine but I didn’t take ordinary painkillers. I took strong painkillers so that the migraine could go fast but I didn’t know it would affect me so badly.
“At a point, I had painkillers in my wallet, even when I was in secondary school, when my mom would buy me provisions she would buy me painkillers,” she narrated.
Ufuoma McDermott added how the disease has motivated her to have a good impact on the lives of others.
“I started thinking, if the doctor said I have three months to live, what impact would I have had on the lives of others? So when I started making my short films, I said it was all going to be about impact,” she added.
Background
Kidney failure has become a prevalent chronic disease affecting individuals of all ages globally.
In a 2023 interview, Dr. Opoku Ware, Chief Executive Officer of Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, revealed that around 5 million Ghanaians are dealing with kidney-related issues.
He further noted that while the average rate of kidney disease across Africa is approximately 15%, about 17% of Ghana’s population is affected.