A team of researchers from Federal University Dutse (FUD) have gotten N36 million research grant from TETfund to investigate rampant cases of Kidney diseases in Hadejia valley through the National Research Fund.
This was disclosed to FUD Newsletter by the Lead Researcher, Dr. Muhammad Isa Auyo, Head of Department of Biological Sciences of the university.
He said he picked interest this research area after losing six friends and family members to kidney failure in Hadejia. Dr. Auyo said the title of their research is ; Rampant kidney diseases in Hadejia Valley,Yobe and Kano state: The Study of Environmental Toxins and Gene Polymorphism.
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Dr. Auyo 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 the Hadejia Valley in the last 30 years as result of use of chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides which may have change the ecosystem over the years.
These chemicals according to him may 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 the area.
He said the Hadejia Valley which starts from Zakirai up to Nguru and Gashua has the highest rate of kidney diseases in Nigeria adding that they will take samples of soil, water, vegetables, cereals, fruits, fishes and meat every month for twenty months in order to detect the presence of heavy metals in these samples
According to him the sixteen member multidisciplinary research team is divided into Medical team, Environmental team,Genetic team, and DNA sequencing team adding that the research is for two years and their findings will come with recommendations.
