The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has commended President Bola Tinubu for expanding the kidney dialysis subsidy initiative across more federal hospitals, described it as a bold step towards affordable and quality healthcare for Nigerians battling kidney-related ailments.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, the group noted that the policy, first introduced in January at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, slashed dialysis fees from N50,000 to N12,000 per session in line with the President’s directive.
According to TMSG, within days of its commencement, over 45 patients had benefitted from the subsidized treatment in Bauchi before the scheme was extended in March to 10 other federal government-owned hospitals, including FMC Jabi (Abuja), UCH Ibadan, UMTH Maiduguri, LUTH Lagos, UBTH Benin, and UCTH Calabar.
The group stressed that the subsidy has already made a life-changing difference to kidney patients and their families, who previously struggled to raise funds for regular dialysis sessions. It described the initiative as “a humane policy that restores hope to vulnerable Nigerians.”
TMSG also dismissed recent claims in a section of the media that the subsidy was yet to take effect, pointing out that several hospitals had already implemented the directive, while others were in the process of doing so. It said such negative reports ignored the testimonies of patients and hospitals that had publicly confirmed the price cut.
“We make bold to say that the initiative is gathering momentum, one hospital after the other. It is similar to the scepticism that trailed the Students Loan Scheme, which is now one of the major legacies of the empathetic Bola Tinubu administration,” the statement read.
The group expressed confidence that the subsidy would become a major success under the supervision of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, who it said is diligently delivering on the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the health sector.
TMSG, however, cautioned that health authorities must ensure that no red tape, sabotage, or bureaucratic bottlenecks are allowed to frustrate or slow down the implementation of the subsidy in the benefiting tertiary health institutions.
“The dialysis subsidy has the potential to save countless lives, but it will only succeed if health administrators across the country implement it faithfully in the spirit in which it was introduced,” the group warned.
It further urged Nigerians to support the policy, stressing that with sustained implementation, the initiative will not only provide relief to patients but also help strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.
