World Kidney Day: Patients seek free dialysis as cost of treatment bites hard
Patients living with chronic kidney diseases have called on the Federal Government to make dialysis treatment free or more accessible, saying the rising cost of managing kidney disease is pushing many patients into severe financial hardship. The calls came as the world marks World Kidney Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about kidney health […]
Patients living with chronic kidney diseases have called on the Federal Government to make dialysis treatment free or more accessible, saying the rising cost of managing kidney disease is pushing many patients into severe financial hardship.
The calls came as the world marks World Kidney Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about kidney health and improving access to treatment for people living with kidney-related illnesses.
This year’s World Kidney Day is with the theme, “Kidney Health for All – Caring for People, Protecting the Planet,” emphasising the importance of caring for sufferers.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2024 approved an 80% subsidy on kidney dialysis, reducing the cost from N50,000 to N12, 000 per session across federal medical institutions in the country to ease financial strains on patients and their families.
In a statement in August 2025, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the initiative was already being piloted in 11 federal tertiary health institutions across the geo-political zones of the country.
The statement signed by the Deputy Director/Head, Information & Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, listed the hospitals as the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH); University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi; Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH); National Hospital, Abuja; and Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Metta, Lagos.
Others are University College Hospital, Ibadan; University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH); Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa; Federal Teaching Hospital, Owerri; and Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abakaliki.
Findings revealed that the launch of the subsidised treatment in the various hospitals commenced in phases, with some of them yet to commence implementation.
Subsidised dialysis suspended in Abuja
Subsidised kidney dialysis services at the National Hospital Abuja have been suspended due to a shortage of essential medical consumables.
It was gathered that the hospital was still awaiting a fresh supply of critical dialysis materials, forcing patients to bear the cost of treatment for now.
“We are yet to collect another batch of consumables, which we are expecting, but we don’t know when. So, for now, the subsidized kidney dialysis is not ongoing anymore,” a source at the dialysis centre said.
The source explained that in the absence of the subsidised supplies, patients are required to source the consumables themselves, either directly from vendors or through the hospital, with the facility only providing limited support.
At the ATBU-TH, Bauchi, dialysis sessions are currently subsidised to N12,000.
A senior staff member of the Hospital’s Renal Department told our correspondent that out of the 15,330 patients who have benefited from the subsidised dialysis treatment, a significant number come from neighbouring states such as Gombe, Taraba, Adamawa and Plateau.
In contrast, the subsidised programme has not yet started at the FMC Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, where hospital officials say they are awaiting the arrival of additional equipment before launching the initiative.
Similarly, patients at the AKTH said the Federal Government subsidy has not taken effect at the centre, where dialysis currently costs about N20,000 per session under a philanthropist-supported programme.
Patients groan
In Bauchi State, patients undergoing treatment at the ATBU-TH appealed for dialysis services to be made free for vulnerable citizens.
One of the patients, Muhammed Abubakar, said he struggled to raise the subsidised dialysis fee of N12,000 due to prevailing economic hardship.
Speaking while undergoing treatment, Abubakar said he had earlier missed a scheduled dialysis session because he could not afford the cost.
“I was booked for dialysis last week but I could not meet the date because of my economic condition. I live in Pali village in Alkaleri Local Government Area and I have to provide money for transportation, food and other expenses in addition to the N12,000 dialysis fee,” he said.
According to him, relatives later contributed money to enable him to return to the hospital.
“I started dialysis three months ago and the treatment has exhausted all my resources. If not for assistance from relatives, I wouldn’t have returned for treatment,” he added, appealing to the government to make dialysis free for vulnerable patients.
Another patient, Andrew Zakaria, said although the subsidised dialysis programme at the hospital had eased some of the financial pressure, the treatment still remained expensive for many.
In Kano State, patients at the AKTH said dialysis treatment currently costs N20,000 per session despite claims of subsidy.
Hospital staff said the dialysis centre was built and is managed by a philanthropist who reduced the cost from about N60,000 to N20,000 per session.
However, relatives and patients say the cost is still too high given that many patients require multiple sessions each week.
Khalid Umar Babangida, who takes his mother to the hospital three times weekly for dialysis, said they pay N20,000 per session.
“It is not true that the subsidised dialysis has commenced here. We come three times every week and that is what we pay,” he said.
He also complained about long waiting times at the centre, noting that only five dialysis machines were operational due to a shortage of personnel.
“We arrive as early as 5am because there are many patients and only a few machines working. If more staff were deployed, the queue would reduce,” he said.
Another patient, Fatima Musa, a widow, said nearly all her earnings from selling foodstuffs at the market go into paying for dialysis.
“Each time I pay N20,000, I wonder how long I can continue. Sometimes I have to borrow from neighbours just to keep up with treatment,” she said.
Similarly, Abdullahi Bello from Tsanyawa Local Government Area said travelling long distances for treatment has also added to the burden.
“I travel more than 100 kilometres to Kano every week. Transport costs nearly N10,000 and then the dialysis fee is another N20,000. Sometimes I sleep outside the hospital because I cannot afford lodging,” he said.
He noted that patients from different northern states and even neighbouring Niger Republic seek treatment at the centre, further increasing the pressure on available facilities.
During a visit by our correspondent to Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa, patients receiving treatment expressed hope that the subsidized initiative would soon begin to ease their financial burden.
One of the patients, who identified herself as Imomotimi, said the cost of dialysis has been difficult to sustain, especially as a retiree.
In Yobe, Malam Modu Kachalla, a kidney disease patient seated on a dialysis chair, shared his experience of battling the disease for the past four years.
“Each dialysis session costs about N35,000, and we undergo it twice a week, which amounts to N70,000 weekly.
Fatima Suleiman told Daily Trust that she was diagnosed with kidney failure after experiencing high blood sugar levels following the birth of her last baby girl.
“Less than five months after taking the prescribed drugs, I was admitted again and had to undergo dialysis twice a week. It is a very painful disease. I am always thinking about my children because I know that when you reach the stage of dialysis, you are simply waiting for your departure time,” she said while crying.
Ahmed Lawan Garba from Jakusko LGA said his illness was discovered in August 2023 when one side of his face became swollen and he went to the General Hospital in Jakusko for a check-up.
Musa Abdullahi, a resident of Machina LGA, told Daily Trust that his health condition deteriorated in 2025 when he started experiencing persistent headaches and shortness of breath.
“The doctor referred me to the hospital in Damaturu for dialysis. Initially, I thought my kidney would recover after one or two dialysis sessions, but it has become clear that my visits to the hospital will continue for a long time because I now come here every week,” he said.
Usman Dagona, a resident of Gashua community, told Daily Trust that he turned down a scholarship opportunity to study Petrochemical Engineering in Russia because he had to take care of his mother, who lost her husband and six sons to kidney disease.
“That year I got a scholarship to study Petrochemical Engineering in Russia, but I could not go.
“I lost my father and six siblings to kidney disease. As the eldest son, I have to take care of my mother and other family members. If I had left, there would have been no one to care for them,” he said.
‘11% of Nigerians living with kidney disease’
The president of the Nephrology Association of Nigeria (NAN), Prof. Jacob Olugbenga Awobusuyi, says approximately 11 per cent of Nigerians are living with kidney disease, describing the trend as a growing public health challenge that demands urgent and coordinated action.
Prof. Awobusuyi expressed deep concern over the increasing prevalence, noting that the statistics indicate one in every 10 Nigerians is affected.
He emphasised that this underscores the scale of the challenge facing Nigeria’s healthcare system and the urgent need for nationwide intervention.
Highlighting the burden of chronic kidney disease among women, Prof. Awobusuyi described it as a critical but often overlooked public health issue.
He said women face unique biological, social, and economic challenges that limit their access to timely and adequate kidney care. “Pregnancy-related kidney disorders, autoimmune diseases, delayed presentation, and financial dependency all contribute to poorer outcomes for women,” he said.
He added that when detected early, a lot can be done to manage the rising cases of kidney diseases.
“The real problem arises when it is not identified on time. Treatment then becomes extremely expensive, often pushing families into catastrophic situations and worsening the condition,” the professor warned.
The nephrologist called on the 36 State governments to establish more dialysis centres, arguing that the Federal health facilities alone are not enough to meet the current demands of kidney patients in Nigeria.
He lamented that, while Nigeria has over 200 functional dialysis units, only about 800 dialysis machines are operational nationwide—far short of the number needed to address the growing caseload.
Concerns in Yobe over increased kidney failure cases
For over a decade, the cause behind the sudden increase in kidney failure cases in Nguru, Gashua and Jakusko Local Government Areas of Yobe State has remained unclear, posing a significant challenge for medical professionals.
The three local government areas, which fall within Yobe North, are grappling with the scourge of kidney disease on a large scale. It is a longstanding medical issue that continues to defy clear explanation.
Research has shown that there is hardly a family in Gashua town, the headquarters of Bade Local Government Area, that has not experienced at least one or two members suffering from kidney disease.
The prolonged renal failure has claimed the lives of many breadwinners in the community and surrounding villages. Efforts by concerned residents, traditional rulers and religious leaders to find a solution to the disease have so far been unsuccessful.
Available statistics reveal that at least 15 people die every month, while about 150 people die annually due to the mysterious renal failure in Gashua town alone. Currently, about 600 dialysis sessions are conducted every month for kidney disease patients at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital in Damaturu. This figure does not include patients who seek treatment on their own elsewhere.
According to the Nigerian Association of Nephrology’s 2018 report, about 25 million Nigerians suffer from kidney disease, and approximately 18,000 require dialysis yearly.
Several research efforts have attempted to investigate whether the area’s rich water bodies and fertile soil might be contributing to the kidney disease cases, but no definitive conclusions have been reached.
Despite ongoing efforts by the state government and other stakeholders to understand the root cause of the problem and tackle it, the cases continue to increase.
One of the major challenges facing kidney disease patients is the lack of effective global therapies and drugs to treat the people suffering from certain forms of kidney failure.
Daily Trust gathered that although the state government offers free dialysis to kidney patients, particularly indigenes of the state, renal failure remains a very expensive disease that drains the limited resources of families and communities.
The increasing cases of renal failure in Yobe State, especially in Nguru, Gashua and Jakusko LGAs, have compelled the state government to intervene by providing about 600 free dialysis sessions monthly at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital.
The university says that after several tests, the exact origin of the disease is still unknown and further studies are needed to determine whether environmental or cultural factors are contributing to the high prevalence in the region.
The Chief Medical Director of the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu, Professor Baba Goni Waru, said people should know that dialysis is not an end in itself.
“When dialysis begins, it serves as a bridge to kidney transplantation if the patient has end-stage renal disease.
“In 2024, we conducted a survey covering hemodialysis centres in Yobe, Borno and Jigawa States, including the Specialist Hospital in Hadejia. We identified hotspots from which these patients originate, and the majority come from Bade and Jakusko Local Government Areas of Yobe State.
“Our preliminary findings show a high level of heavy metals in the soil and water in these affected areas. If we can also demonstrate these metals in the blood of residents and establish causality, then we can seek intervention from the federal government or international partners.
“The state government is also supporting further research. Recently, researchers from the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre and international partners collected blood, urine, water and soil samples across 20 communities in six local government areas to trace the root cause of the problem,” he said.
Findings ongoing
The Founder and Director-General of the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BIORTC), Yobe State University, Damaturu, Professor Mahmoud Bukar Maina, said that although elevated levels of certain heavy metals were found in some water sources in parts of Bade, it does not confirm the cause of the high burden of chronic kidney disease.
“In July 2025, we presented preliminary findings during a policy briefing to Governor Mai Mala Buni. We detected elevated levels of certain heavy metals in some water sources in parts of Bade. However, this does not mean we have confirmed the cause of the high prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the area.
“This is a complex public health issue that requires careful and multi-layered investigation, and that process is still ongoing.
“Our current research includes blood analysis to assess individual exposure, soil, water and food chain testing to understand environmental risks, lifestyle and occupational assessments to explore possible exposures, as well as clinical and genetic profiling.
“Until all these investigations are completed, we advise against drawing firm conclusions. Scientific evidence takes time, rigour and collaboration, and we are committed to all three.
“We are grateful for the support of the Yobe State Governor, the Ministry of Health, community leaders, international collaborators and members of the public. This is a collective effort to uncover the truth and protect lives,” he said.
‘Nigerians should adopt preventive health measures’
A nephrology nurse at the ATBU Teaching Hospital renal department, Bukar Yunusa, said World Kidney Day should serve as a reminder for Nigerians to adopt preventive health measures against kidney disease.
He advised people to drink plenty of water, reduce intake of salt and processed foods, exercise regularly and manage conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
Yunusa also urged stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns, particularly in the North-East where kidney-related illnesses are reportedly increasing.