Funding Renal Care in Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal

Abstract

There is no longer any doubt that renal failure is prevalent in Nigeria and just like the trend elsewhere, the incidence is rising annually. This rising prevalence also extrapolates to large amounts of funds for renal care. The burden of renal care is so enormous that no single individual or family can sustain any patient on treatment for renal failure for a reasonable length of time and this results in death and poor quality of life before they succumb.

Renal care is expensive worldwide. In the United States of America (USA) the total cost for Medicare patients with ESRD in 1998 was S12.0-+ billion. Likewise in 1991 the Saudi Arabian government with an oil economy like Nigeria. spent the equivalent of $19,363.14/patient/year for haemodialysis (HD). The story is the same in Nigeria where the cost ofRD is at least N958,000.00/patient/ year.

 Cost of kidney transplantation varies from between N740, 000.00 - N3.2 million depending on centre being patronised. These amounts of mane: for renal care are out of the reach of most Nigerians. The reality is that only the very rich and those w hose medical expenses are paid for by their employers are able to sustain HD for reasonable periods of time or are able to afford kidney transplant.

CRF/ESRD is prevalent in Nigeria. Its treatment is expensive and as at today majority of Nigerians, bears the cost of their renal care. In the face of high poverty rate and the resultant inability to maintain treatment options for more than a few months, countless lives have been lost. Many Nigerians in the productive age have died of kidney failure. To avert this trend the NAN needs to play a more visible role to reduce the increasing burden of ESRD. Emphasis needs now to be placed on preventive nephrology.