The price of kidney dialysis and transplants in Nigeria has seen a pointy rise over the previous yr, placing vital {financial} pressure on sufferers and their households.
Some kidney illness sufferers like Mrs. Okoli, who requires two dialysis periods weekly, describe the expertise as “insufferable,” whereas others, like a retired civil servant, rely upon their kids to boost funds for every session. One other affected person recounted how lacking dialysis led to extreme swelling and shortness of breath, calling it an ordeal he hopes by no means to face once more.
In line with findings by Nairametrics, a single dialysis session now prices between N41,000- N60,000, a pointy enhance from N35,000 in 2023.
Moreover, kidney transplant surgical procedure is priced at N14 million – N15 million, a major enhance from the earlier worth of N12,000,000 from final yr. This represents a 25% enhance.
This surge in healthcare prices is pushed by inflation, foreign money depreciation, and the rising dependence on imported medical provides, intensifying issues in regards to the affordability of life-saving therapies for the rising variety of Nigerians affected by kidney illness.
Managing kidney illness in Nigeria has develop into a {financial} burden for households, with many unable to afford to obtain the required dialysis or transplant remedy essential for his or her well being.
Kidney illness is a world well being disaster, affecting hundreds of thousands and accounting for vital mortality worldwide. Over the previous 30 years, the all-age prevalence and mortality charges of kidney illness have risen by 30% and 40%, respectively.
The price of kidney dialysis in Nigeria is influenced by varied components, with the selection of hospital or clinic being a major one. Every facility has its personal pricing construction, resulting in variations in dialysis charges throughout completely different areas.
Hemodialysis, the first remedy for individuals with extreme kidney failure, requires a number of periods every week.
Nairametrics gathered detailed info on the prices of kidney dialysis and transplants from completely different medical services.
At Zenith Medical and Kidney Heart in Abuja, the price of kidney dialysis varies primarily based on the affected person’s situation.
Clear blood dialysis prices N41,000 per session, whereas dangerous blood dialysis prices N43,000. For aged sufferers or these with hypertension, the cost will increase to N50,000 per session. Sufferers should additionally verify their packed cell quantity (PCV) earlier than dialysis, which provides to the bills.
Moreover, there’s a session price of N55,000 for 3 months, which incorporates N5,000 for registration and N50,000 for session. This session determines the required checks and the suitable dialysis machine.
The representatives defined that dialysis entry prices embody a central venous catheter, known as a “Neckline,” which prices N261,000. Different entry choices are the femoro-femoral fistula at N65,000 and the brachiocephalic fistula at N55,000.
These entry factors are important for conducting dialysis, and so they famous that the central venous catheter provides a more practical dialysis expertise in comparison with the opposite strategies.
Evercare Hospital in Lekki Part 1 disclosed that “the price of kidney dialysis is at present N48,000 per session, up from the earlier worth of 34,000 naira,” reflecting a 41% enhance.
The hospital has not but initiated kidney transplant procedures, with a consultant stating, “We’re but to start out the kidney transplant process, so there isn’t a value construction for it for the time being.”
Concerning medical health insurance protection, the hospital defined that “the supply of insurance coverage for such procedures relies upon largely on the affected person’s firm coverage,” noting that sometimes solely sufferers with “the best stage of insurance coverage protection, reminiscent of a platinum scheme,” can obtain insurance coverage for kidney procedures.
In addition they clarified, “There isn’t a instalment fee choice; it operates as a pay-as-you-go service.”
At LSUTH, kidney dialysis now prices N60,000 per session, a 9.09% enhance from N55,000, a fee set mid-last yr, up from an earlier worth of N32,000. Moreover, a thoracic entry process is priced individually at N260,000.
Zenith Medical and Kidney Heart acknowledged that the entire estimate for the renal transplant surgical procedure bundle is N14,250,000, a major enhance from the earlier worth of N12,000,000. This represents a proportion enhance of 18.75%.
The overall screening prices for checks associated to human leukocyte antigen, crossmatching, and donor-specific antigen testing quantity to N3,500,000.
Moreover, there are additional laboratory prices related to each the donor and recipient.
“If plasmapheresis is critical, notably when the outcomes of the human leukocyte antigen and donor-specific antigen checks are constructive, the fee will probably be N930,000”. The variety of periods required will rely upon the affected person’s antibody ranges, they stated.
Submit-transplant, the price of immunosuppressant medicines is critical, with a yr’s provide of tacrolimus priced at N1,386,000.
Moreover, a three-month provide of valganciclovir prices N405,000. Different medicines, together with mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone, result in a complete expense of N2,311,200 for all immunosuppressant therapies over the desired durations.
A nephrologist from Lagos State University Instructing Hospital (LSUTH), who requested anonymity, revealed to Nairametrics that the fee for a kidney transplant right here is round N15m. That covers the surgical procedure, medicines earlier than the surgical procedure, and a few blood checks whereas the affected person is on admission.
When requested about post-transplant bills, the physician added, “Submit-transplant, sufferers must funds round 300,000 thousand naira per 30 days for medicines. We normally advise that sufferers have sufficient funds to cowl at the least one yr of post-transplant care earlier than they begin the surgical process.”
When requested about post-transplant bills, the physician added, “Submit-transplant, sufferers must funds round 300,000 thousand naira per 30 days for medicines. We normally advise that sufferers have sufficient funds to cowl at the least one yr of post-transplant care earlier than they begin the surgical process.”
A nephrologist stated the most typical reason behind transplant rejection in Nigeria is an absence of compliance with the post-transplant medicine regimens.
