The Federal Executive Council has approved the purchase of 7,887 dialysis consumables to enhance healthcare access for Nigerians with kidney diseases.
Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Work, Prof Ali Pate, who disclosed this to newsmen on Monday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said the approval aims to address the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
According to him, the consumables will be distributed across seven federal tertiary hospitals, including the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Center, Ebute Metta in Lagos and the National Hospital in Abuja.
Pate emphasised the importance of prevention alongside treatment, revealing plans for public health screenings and lifestyle modifications to reduce future cases of kidney disease.
The Minister said: “In continuation of the President’s efforts including reducing the cost of access to health care services considering the vast non-communicable disease that we experience in Nigeria, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, several vascular diseases, the council today approved the one of purchase of 7,887 sets of dialysis consumables, for the use of Nigerians who are suffering from chronic disease in seven of our federal tertiary hospitals.
“These hospitals are the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, the Federal Medical Center in Ebuta Metta, the Federal Medical Center in Owerri, the National Hospital, Abuja, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, the University Teaching Hospital in Maiduguri and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi.”
Pate said the effort is geared towards making the cost of treatment affordable for those who suffer from integral disease through dialysis.
His words: “It’s a start. But dealing with kidney disease requires not only dialysis but also prevention. That’s part of the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that we prevent cases of hypertension, diabetes that progress to kidney disease. We’re looking at screening so that Nigerians will be able to screen themselves for hypertension and diabetes but also get the lifestyle modification so that we have fewer and fewer people requiring dialysis.
“But for those who are affected, we know that the cost of access to that is a major impediment. This effort by Mr. President is to bring relief within the context of several other policy measures to ensure that Nigerians have access to critical healthcare services.
“With this approval, we’ll provide those and I think it will bring relief to many Nigerians and their families for accessing dances, services. They’re very much needed in our country”.
Deji Elumoye
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