Nephrologists for Nigeria don raise alarm say di cost of kidney care don skyrocket, as dialysis now cost between N50,000 and N100,000 per session. Patients wey get renal failure need three sessions every week, wey dey make di monthly bill reach about N600,000. Dis amount pass wetin many Nigerians fit afford, and e dey push patients to skip treatment or abandon am entirely.
Di renal doctors explain say many households dey enter serious financial wahala as dem dey struggle to pay for care. Families dey sell dia properties or use all dia savings, but still dey lose dia loved ones because of irregular treatment. Di nephrologists talk dis matter as dem dey mark World Kidney Day 2026, and dem urge Nigerians to use screening opportunities and do regular health checks.
According to di World Health Organisation, kidney disease na big global health challenge. Di National Kidney Foundation estimate say about 10 percent of di world population get chronic kidney disease. For Nigeria, di Nigerian Association of Nephrologists estimate say one out of every ten Nigerians dey live with chronic kidney disease, but facilities to manage di cases dey limited.
PUNCH Healthwise don report before say 95 percent of Nigerians with chronic kidney disease dey die every year because dem no fit afford treatment. Di report show say patients dey pay out-of-pocket for treatment since health insurance no dey cover kidney disease. Even though di Federal Government announce 80 percent subsidy on dialysis for 2024 at 11 federal hospitals across eight states, di plan fit fail because of inadequate dialysis machines.
Findings from PUNCH Healthwise reveal say Nigeria get only 354 functional dialysis machines for both public and private hospitals. Out of di 25 million Nigerians wey get kidney disease, about 230,000 need life-saving treatments like dialysis or kidney transplants. Di government effort to reduce dialysis cost to N12,000 per session na good step, but without enough infrastructure, di impact go small.
Prof Jacob Awobusuyi, President of di Nigerian Association of Nephrology, talk say di high cost of treatment na major barrier wey dey stop patients from getting proper care. E explain say kidney transplantation cost about N25 million on average for Nigeria, and dat amount no fit cover long-term medication needs. “Kidney transplantation for di country still dey very low, and dat no good for patients. Part of di reason na because of di high cost of transplantation,” Awobusuyi talk.
Awobusuyi add say dialysis too no dey affordable for many patients, wey dey lead to irregular sessions and eventual death. “Families dey spend so much on dialysis and end up with catastrophic expenses. Dem dey sell all dia belongings and do everything possible to sustain treatment, only to find say dem no fit continue. Dialysis become irregular, and di patient die, leave di family for poverty,” e add.
E stress di importance of early detection, noting say simple and affordable urine tests fit help identify kidney damage before e worsen. “One way we fit detect kidney damage early na di presence of protein for urine. We get strips wey fit detect dat, and dem cheap. E dey about N500 per test, and we believe we fit distribute am widely,” Awobusuyi talk.
Dr Ebun Bamgboye, Consultant Nephrologist and former President of di Nigerian Association of Nephrologists, talk say di cost of dialysis still dey far beyond wetin most Nigerians fit reach. E explain say single dialysis session cost between N50,000 and N100,000, with patients needing three sessions weekly. “Even if e just N50,000 per session, you dey look at N150,000 per week. Dat na about N600,000 for one month. How many people dey earn dat?” Bamgboye ask.
Bamgboye add say access to dialysis dey limited, with less than 10,000 patients dey get regular treatment even though about 23,000 Nigerians need am every year. “If you need dialysis and you no get am, within two weeks, you go die,” e warn. E note say even though some government facilities dey offer subsidised dialysis, patients still dey bear high costs, including consumables, wey dey make treatment largely unaffordable.
Dr Zumnan Gimba, Consultant Nephrologist at Jos University Teaching Hospital, talk say di cost of care and reliance on out-of-pocket payments dey discourage patients from maintaining regular treatment. E add say dis often dey lead to worsening health conditions and avoidable deaths. Gimba call on di government to subsidise dialysis services and urge corporate organisations and philanthropists to support patients with di cost of medications and hospital consumables.
Experts don identify major risk factors for kidney disease to include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, misuse of painkillers and herbal medicines, and family history. Dem warn say di rising cases among young Nigerians dey show di need for routine screening and early intervention. Dem urge Nigerians to use screening opportunities and prioritise regular health checks, noting say early detection remain key to prevent complications and reduce di burden of di disease.
World Kidney Day, wey dem dey mark on di second Thursday of March, na to raise awareness on kidney health and reduce di burden of kidney disease. Dis year theme, “Kidney Health for All: Caring for People, Protecting di Planet,” highlight di need for equitable access to care. Di situation for Nigeria dey show say without urgent action, many kidney patients go continue to dey battle for survival as dialysis costs dey hit unbearable levels.
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