The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has approved an 80% subsidy on kidney dialysis treatments, effectively reducing the cost per session for Nigerians from N50,000 to N12,000. This initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden on patients suffering from kidney-related illnesses, with implementation to go across all political zones of the country.
The subsidy is being implemented across all six geopolitical zones at several federal medical institutions. Participating institutions 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 State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH),
Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare
University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),
University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH),
The program was officially launched in January at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi.
The subsidy has been met with great relief from patients. Hammatu Haruna, the manager of the renal centre at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, confirmed that patients are “very happy” with the initiative. She noted a remarkable improvement in patients’ conditions and an increase in those seeking treatment.
Before the subsidy, many patients found it impossible to afford the treatment, often resorting to selling personal belongings or forgoing the life-saving procedure altogether. Since the launch on January 8, 2025, 35 patients have benefited from the scheme at the Bauchi hospital alone. The Federal Ministry of Health has also provided a new dialysis machine and over 900 dialyzers to ensure the program’s success.
In a related development, a team will conduct interviews with 2,000 people in Bade and Damaturu Local Government Areas to investigate the causes of kidney disease, examining potential environmental, lifestyle-related or genetic factors.
