The Federal Government has announced a 20 per cent reduction in the cost of renal dialysis for kidney patients at selected federal hospitals across eight states.

These include the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Ebute-Metta, Lagos; University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan; FMC Owerri; and University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), among others.

This initiative, a component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the health sector, was disclosed on Sunday by Dr. Adedamola Dada, Chief Medical Director of FMC Ebute-Metta, and Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education and former Minister of State for Health.

Announcing the development via X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Dada said:“@FMC_EB (FMC Ebute-Metta) starts highly subsidised renal dialysis from today for those on dialysis, courtesy of the PBAT Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector.

The programme is available in all zones of the country.“The cost of dialysis has been reduced to 20 per cent of the normal cost, courtesy of PBAT.

This programme is available at FMC Ebute-Metta and other federal hospitals nationwide.”

Dr. Alausa further elaborated, listing hospitals where the programme is active. These include FMC Abeokuta, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), FMC Azare, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), and University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).

“Nigerians can now visit these hospitals to access subsidised renal dialysis treatment,” Alausa stated, adding that the initiative fulfills President Tinubu’s pledge to improve healthcare access for Nigerians.

Renal dialysis is a critical treatment for patients with kidney failure, helping to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer function.

However, the high cost of dialysis remains a significant barrier for many Nigerians.According to a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) study, kidney failure is a growing global health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The report highlights the need for affordable kidney replacement therapies and underscores the importance of preventive measures, such as managing risk factors like hypertension and diabetes.

For patients with kidney failure, treatment options include dialysis, kidney transplantation, or conservative care to manage symptoms.

The WHO has called for a balanced approach, advocating investments in both kidney replacement therapies and public health initiatives to prevent chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury.

This subsidy programme is expected to ease financial pressures on patients and improve access to lifesaving treatment while supporting broader efforts to enhance healthcare delivery in Nigeria.