President Tinubu Slashes Dialysis Cost from N50,000 to N12,000 in 11 Federal Hospitals
In a groundbreaking move to ease the financial burden on Nigerians battling kidney disease, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major subsidy on dialysis treatments across 11 federal hospitals, slashing the cost from N50,000 to N12,000.
This initiative, launched in January at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi, aims to provide relief for thousands of patients who previously struggled to afford life-saving dialysis sessions.
Hospitals Benefiting from the Subsidy
The subsidy is being implemented across six geopolitical zones in Nigeria, ensuring accessibility to critical kidney care for patients nationwide. The hospitals include:
- Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos
- Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja
- University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan
- Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri
- University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Maiduguri
- Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta
- Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos
- Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare
- University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin
- University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar
- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi
Massive Relief for Kidney Patients
Hammatu Haruna, the manager in charge of the renal centre at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, confirmed that the subsidy has had a tremendous impact on patients, many of whom could not afford dialysis before.
“Before now, patients would come in, hear the cost, and go back home because they couldn’t afford it. Some had to sell property just to pay for a few sessions,” she said. “Now, with just N12,000, they can get the care they need, and we’ve already seen significant improvement in their health.”
Since the launch of the subsidy on January 8, at least 35 patients have benefited from the program at her hospital alone. She also acknowledged the federal government for providing vital resources, including an additional dialysis machine and over 900 dialyzers, to sustain the initiative.
The Rising Epidemic of Kidney Failure in Nigeria
The government’s intervention comes at a crucial time when cases of kidney failure are surging across Nigeria. In February, Yobe State raised concerns over an alarming increase in kidney disease cases and dispatched a team of 50 health experts to investigate the root cause.
The team, led by Mahmud Maina, director of the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre at Yobe State University, is conducting a large-scale study, interviewing over 2,000 residents to determine if environmental factors, genetics, or lifestyle choices are driving the increase in kidney disease cases.
A Major Win for Healthcare in Nigeria
This subsidy is a significant step forward in making healthcare more affordable for Nigerians. With more than 20 million people suffering from kidney disease nationwide, access to subsidized dialysis could mean the difference between life and death for many patients.
As the federal government continues to tackle pressing health challenges, the success of this initiative may pave the way for further interventions in Nigeria’s healthcare system, bringing hope to countless families across the nation.
For those battling kidney disease, this is a lifeline. For Nigeria, this is progress.
