By Franklin P. Gumapon
SINDANGAN, Zamboanga del Norte – Sixty percent of those
working as call center agents were found to have suffered from urinary tract
infection (UTI).
This was disclosed by Dr. Michael Abutazil, a nephrologist based in
Zamboanga City, in a radio interview held Tuesday over Radyo Natin in
Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.
Citing a recent study, Abutazil said most call center agents got
infections on their urinary tract for spending longer hours without drinking
enough water and/or holding back their urine while on duty.
“UTI, if not treated, may damage the kidney,” said the nephrologist.
He then urged the listening public to
take care of their kidneys, saying: “The kidneys' main job is to filter your
blood, removing wastes and extra water to make urine. They also help control
blood pressure and make hormones that the body needs to stay healthy. When the
kidneys are damaged, wastes can build up in the body.”
Each person has two kidneys, which are
bean-shaped and about the size of a fist. They are located in the middle of
one’s back, on the left and right of the spine, just below the rib cage.
According to Abutazil, the two major “risk factors” that cause kidney
disease are diabetes and high blood pressure.
“Each kidney contains about one million
tiny filters made up of blood vessels. These filters are called glomeruli.
Diabetes and high blood pressure damage these blood vessels, so the kidneys are
not able to filter the blood as well as they used to. Usually this damage
happens slowly, over many years. As more and more filters are damaged, the kidneys
eventually stop working,” he explained.
Joining Dr. Abutazil in said radio
interview was his patient, Rufu Paitan of this town, who was the first patient
to have undergone kidney transplantation at the Zamboanga City Medical Center
in Zamboanmga City in October 2011.
The regional office of the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA)-9 headed by Director Noemi B. Edaga facilitated the
conduct of the radio interview in support of this year’s Kidney Month celebration
with the theme, “Malusog na Bato, ‘yan ang Gusto Ko (Healthy kidney is what I
want)!” (PIA9)