As the rising cost of dialysis places increasing pressure on families of patients with kidney failure, healthcare company Osiris Health has provided free haemodialysis sessions to patients in Lagos, Ibadan and Akure.

The sessions, held to commemorate World Heart Day, took place at the company’s dialysis centres at R-Jolad Hospital, Gbagada, Lagos; Lad Hospital, Orita Challenge, Ibadan; and First Mercy Specialist Hospital, Gbogi, Akure.

Osiris Health said a single dialysis session costs between N50,000 and N80,000 in many private facilities, while most patients require two to three sessions weekly.

The company said the frequency of treatment could push the cost to about N1 million monthly, with many patients having little or no insurance coverage to offset the expense.

It said the financial burden was particularly severe because kidney failure often requires lifelong dialysis, making sustained access to treatment difficult for patients and their families.

Osiris Health estimated that 25 million Nigerians live with chronic kidney disease, noting that high blood pressure and diabetes, which are major drivers of heart disease, are also leading causes of chronic kidney disease in the country.

The company said heart disease remains the most common cause of death among people on dialysis, highlighting the close link between cardiovascular and kidney health.

Speaking on the initiative, Chief Executive Officer of Osiris Health, Ayoola Oladipupo, said the company was seeking to make dialysis more affordable in the cities where it operates while using its activities to create social impact.

Oladipupo said the company offered some of the lowest dialysis prices in the cities where it operates and was cheaper than many government hospitals.

Although Osiris Health is a for-profit organisation, he said it was driven by purpose and impact, adding that World Heart Day provided an opportunity to raise awareness about kidney disease while offering relief to affected families.

He said the company also conducts free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings in churches, mosques and markets around its dialysis centres as part of its preventive health initiatives.

Osiris Health currently has five hospital partners across Lagos, Ibadan, Akure, Warri and Ilorin and plans to establish 20 dialysis centres across Nigeria by 2028.