By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
THE FEDERAL Government has dismissed claims that patients in the north-west were excluded from its kidney dialysis subsidy programme, clarifying that the initiative is running across all six geopolitical zones of the country.
In a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the government described as incorrect recent reports suggesting that the north-west region had been left out of the scheme.
The ministry explained that the programme is part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at easing financial and physical hardship for patients with kidney-related illnesses.
The statement reaffirmed that the subsidy reduces the cost of each dialysis session in federal hospitals from N50,000 to N12,000.
According to the ministry, this measure was approved earlier this year by President Bola Tinubu as part of efforts to expand access to universal health coverage and provide relief for vulnerable Nigerians.
The ministry confirmed that the pilot phase is already operational in eleven Federal Tertiary Health Institutions spread across the six geopolitical zones.
The facilities include:
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH),
University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH),
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUT),
University of Jos Teaching Hospital (UJTH),
National Hospital Abuja (NHA),
Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Ebute Metta,
University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan,
University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH),
Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yenagoa,
Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) Owerri, and
Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Abakaliki.
The government stressed that the north-west is represented in the pilot scheme through Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
It added that the current phase will be expanded to more federal hospitals nationwide, with assurances that no region will be excluded from accessing life-saving dialysis services.
Alaba Balogun, deputy director and head of information and public relations at the Federal Ministry of Health, reiterated in the statement that the initiative demonstrates the government’s commitment to tackling non-communicable diseases and safeguarding the health of Nigerians.
The ministry further noted that the subsidy scheme is a deliberate effort to reduce the burden on families dealing with kidney disease, while strengthening the health system to ensure broader coverage for critical care.
It assured Nigerians that the FG remains firmly committed to sustaining the programme and extending it beyond the pilot phase, ensuring equitable access to essential medical services across the federation.
