EVERYWHERE you turn in Nigeria today, there is a troubling story. A young man in his thirties on dialysis, a young woman battling aggressive cancer. Families are selling their properties to fund treatment. Kidney disease and cancer are no longer illnesses we hear about occasionally, they have become frighteningly common. Many of us are beginning to ask the same uneasy question: what exactly is happening to us?
It is impossible to ignore the environment we are living in. Our markets are flooded with counterfeit and substandard products, fake drugs, adulterated drinks, contaminated food items, and unregulated herbal mixtures boldly advertised as miracle cures.
These products are not rare exceptions tucked away in dark corners. They are openly displayed on shelves, in kiosks, in traffic, and even in some pharmacies. They enter our homes without suspicion because they look legitimate, cost less, and are easily accessible.
The kidneys are delicate, hardworking organs. Every day, they filter waste and toxins from the blood, regulate fluid balance, and keep the body functioning properly. What happens when the body is constantly exposed to harmful substances? What happens when people unknowingly consume chemicals, heavy metals, and unapproved additives disguised as food, drinks, and medicine? The burden does not disappear. It settles somewhere and often, it settles in the kidneys.
Across Nigeria, cases of chronic kidney disease are rising at an alarming rate. Hospitals report dialysis units that are overwhelmed. Treatment is expensive, and for many families, it is financially devastating. Dialysis several times a week is not just physically draining; it is emotionally and economically crushing. Yet we rarely confront the deeper question: are we treating the symptoms while ignoring the root causes?
Counterfeit and substandard drugs are a major concern. When medications meant to heal instead contain harmful or ineffective ingredients, the consequences can be severe. Some fake drugs contain toxic substances that quietly damage vital organs over time. Others fail to treat infections properly, allowing illnesses to worsen and complications to develop. In both cases, the body pays a heavy price.
The problem extends beyond pharmaceuticals. Adulterated beverages, artificially ripened fruits, preserved foods loaded with unsafe chemicals, and unregulated herbal concoctions are widely consumed. Many small-scale producers operate without proper oversight. Some traders are driven by profit rather than safety. Regulatory agencies try to clamp down, but enforcement is inconsistent, and corruption often weakens the system. The result is a marketplace where consumers are left to fend for themselves.
Cancer, too, is appearing more frequently in conversations that once rarely mentioned it. While cancer has multiple causes, prolonged exposure to carcinogenic substances in food, drinks, and the environment cannot be dismissed. When standards are compromised and safety checks are ignored, the long-term health impact may not be immediately visible but it accumulates over time.
It is important to acknowledge that lifestyle factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, poor diet, and limited access to preventive healthcare also contribute significantly to kidney disease. However, these factors alone do not fully explain the sharp rise many communities are witnessing. We must examine the broader picture, the quality of what we consume daily and the systems that are supposed to protect us.
The economic realities of Nigeria make the situation even more complex. Many people choose cheaper alternatives because they simply cannot afford expensive, verified brands. When survival is the priority, long-term health risks feel distant. But the tragic irony is that the cheaper option today can become the most expensive mistake tomorrow.
This is not just a health issue; it is a governance issue, an economic issue, and a moral issue. Regulatory agencies must be empowered and held accountable. Border controls must be strengthened to prevent the influx of counterfeit goods. Manufacturers and distributors who knowingly endanger lives must face real consequences, not token penalties. Public awareness campaigns must go beyond slogans and truly educate citizens on how to identify suspicious products.
At the same time, individuals have a role to play. We must be more vigilant about what we consume. We must question unusually cheap medications. We must resist the temptation of miracle cures with no scientific backing. We must support local producers who follow proper standards and demand transparency from companies whose products we buy.
The growing rate of kidney disease and cancer in Nigeria should not be accepted as normal. It is not something we should shrug off as fate or genetics. When entire dialysis wards are filled with young people, when families are fundraising for treatment that could have been prevented, when communities are quietly grieving avoidable deaths. It is a signal that something is deeply wrong.
We deserve better. Nigerians deserve safe food, safe medicine, and safe products. We deserve systems that prioritize life over profit. If we fail to confront the culture of fake and substandard goods in our markets, we may continue to pay with our health, our savings, and our future.
- West is a seasoned journalist and development practitioner with over a decade of experience in media, human rights advocacy, and NGO leadership. Her syndicated column, The Wednesday Lens, is published every Wednesday in News Point Nigeria newspaper. She can be reached at bomawest111@gmail.com.