Asymptomatic UTI among school children hits alarming level

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, June 20 (PIA):   School children may generally appear healthy and not a bit troubled about pains in the urinary tract but about 35  percent out of 100 of them are found having asymptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) which may lead to end stage renal disease if left undiagnosed and untreated.

In an interview, Provincial Health Office (PHO) chief Dr. Agapito Hornido of Davao del Norte cited such level of prevalence rate  as “alarming”, saying  the ideal for UTI cases and kidney infection among children is zero.

He said asymptomatic UTI among school children  of seven to eight years of age has stayed at an average prevalence of 35 per 100 over the years of implementing  the locally funded Preventive Nephrology Program and even during the  provincial roll out of the Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP).

“If left undiagnosed and untreated this can lead to End Stage Renal Disease,”  he said, attributing such prevalence to diet of much salt and junk food.

He described ESRD as “slow death”  which only regular dialysis  and  kidney transplant can lengthen a patient’s life but this would mean so much money spilling out from the family’s coffer for such process “which are not guarantee” of cure, he said.

The high level of asymptomatic  UTI among school children of age range seven to eight years old pushes PHO of Davao del Norte, through the approval of Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario, to continue its mass urine examination every year, visiting selected public elementary schools.

In cooperation with the Department of Education Davao del Norte Schools Division, PHO targets to do on site urine test, some 100 children of 7 to 8 years old, bringing a team of medical technologist, technician with centrifuge  and microscope not just dip stick.

“I think Davao del Norte is the only LGU in Davao Region which has continued this in support of the Renal Disease Control Program,”  he said.

REDCOP aims to reduce mortality and morbidity from kidney diseases among Filipinos.

PHO will be launching this year’s roll out of the Preventive Nephrology Program in July, targeting 36 public elementary schools: eight in July; nine in August; six in September; seven in October; and six in November.

Meanwhile, Dr. Hornido said prevention is the best way to do for renal disease, as he called on parents  and local government units (LGUs) to join with efforts to prevent such debilitating yet “very preventable disease.”

Hoping to see a curb of UTI incidence among school children, he called on parents to shift from junk food to natural and nutritious food as snacks of their children.

“Why not eat banana or camote (sweet potatos)? Let’s take advantage of these nutritious food which abound in our province,” he said.

He also urged LGUs through their Sangguniang Panlungsod and Sangguniang Bayan to pass an ordinance prohibiting the selling of junk and salty food, colas referred to as softdrinks and juices with artificial sweeteners.   (PIA XI/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)