World Kidney Day: Rising Dialysis, Transplant Costs Push Nigerian Patients To The Brink

Mounting Cost of Survival

AS the world marks World Kidney Day, medical experts and caregivers in Nigeria are raising fresh concerns about the soaring cost of kidney care, warning that life-saving treatment is becoming increasingly unaffordable for millions of patients.

Across hospitals nationwide, dialysis sessions now cost between ₦50,000 and ₦80,000 per treatment, while a kidney transplant procedure can range from ₦25 million to ₦30 million depending on where it is performed. For many families already struggling with rising living costs, these figures represent an almost insurmountable barrier to survival.

Health experts estimate that about 25 million Nigerians are currently living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with roughly 45,000 deaths recorded annually.

According to the World Health Organization, kidney diseases are among the leading causes of death globally. Data from the International Society of Nephrology shows that more than 850 million people worldwide live with some form of kidney disease.

Dialysis: A Costly Lifeline

Dialysis remains one of the most common treatments for patients with advanced kidney failure. However, the procedure must be carried out multiple times weekly, making the financial burden particularly heavy.

Professor Jacob Olugbenga Awobusuyi, a leading nephrologist and former president of the Nephrology Association of Nigeria (NAN), explained that most patients with stage-five kidney disease require dialysis at least two or three times per week.

“At an average cost of ₦50,000 to ₦60,000 per session, patients may spend around ₦150,000 weekly on dialysis alone,” he said, noting that the expense is far beyond the reach of many Nigerians.

For families supporting patients with kidney failure, treatment costs often escalate rapidly. Some patients require additional injections, laboratory tests, medications and procedures, pushing total yearly expenses close to ₦10 million in some cases.

Government Intervention and Its Limits

In response to the growing burden, the Federal Government recently introduced a dialysis subsidy in 10 hospitals nationwide, reducing the price in those centres to about ₦12,000 per session.

While experts welcome the intervention, they say the programme covers only a fraction of dialysis facilities in the country.

Consultant nephrologist Dr. Theophilus Umeizudike noted that the subsidy currently applies to roughly 0.5 percent of hospitals offering dialysis services, leaving the majority of patients to pay the full cost.

“There is progress, but the scope remains limited,” he said, urging authorities to expand the programme to more hospitals.

Shortage of Equipment and Specialists

Nigeria’s kidney care infrastructure also remains severely overstretched.

According to the Nephrology Association of Nigeria, the country has about 200 dialysis centres and roughly 800 functional dialysis machines, far below the estimated 5,000 machines required to meet growing demand.

The shortage extends beyond equipment to trained specialists.

Professor Babatunde Salako, consultant nephrologist at the University of Ibadan College of Medicine and former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, said the migration of healthcare professionals has significantly reduced the country’s nephrology workforce.

During a recent recruitment exercise at the university, he revealed, the institution could not find a single nephrologist to employ.

Rising Disease Burden

Medical experts say chronic kidney disease is steadily increasing in Nigeria, largely due to underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

Awobusuyi explained that CKD prevalence in the country is estimated at 11 to 12 percent of the adult population, though it may reach 20 percent among people with diabetes.

Other contributing factors include infections such as HIV and hepatitis, enlarged prostate, congenital abnormalities, environmental toxins, and the misuse of certain medications.

Lifestyle habits also play a role. Professor Aliyu Abdu of Bayero University Kano warned that excessive consumption of processed foods and high-salt diets can strain the kidneys and worsen disease progression.

Younger Nigerians at Risk

Unlike in Europe and North America, where kidney disease is more common among the elderly, many Nigerian patients fall within the 20 to 50 age group.

This demographic reality carries wider economic implications because those affected are often breadwinners responsible for supporting families.

Salako warned that the rising disease burden could also affect national productivity if younger members of the workforce continue to be disproportionately affected.

Call for Health Insurance Coverage

Experts say expanding health insurance coverage for kidney care would significantly improve access to treatment.

They are calling for dialysis services and post-transplant medications to be included in national health insurance schemes to reduce the catastrophic out-of-pocket expenses many families face.

Improving early detection is equally important. Doctors urge Nigerians to adopt regular health screenings, maintain healthy diets, exercise frequently and monitor blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

For many patients, however, the immediate challenge remains access to life-saving care.

Without broader policy support and expanded medical infrastructure, experts warn that thousands of Nigerians with kidney disease may continue to struggle to afford the treatment that could save their lives.