Ahmed told reporters in Abuja on Sunday that the support was important considering the cost involved for a patient to carry out one dialysis session.

Reports indicate that the cost of dialysis sessions in Nigeria ranged from N20,000 to N50,000 per session, and the global standard recommendation for dialysis is three sessions a week for an average of 3-5 hours.

Ahmed, therefore, urged the government, corporate bodies and philanthropists to assist individuals with the needed fund to access regular dialysis care.

“I will join in calling on all well-meaning Nigerians that can help to bring down the cost of these medical services to do so.

“I also want the government to see how effective health insurance, like the National Health Insurance Scheme, can cover some of these services.

“If there can be some kind of review of what we currently have to take care of dialysis, because this is a life saving procedure and somebody needs it, without which it is difficult to actually live.

“Usually when the kidney is not functioning properly, you need the machine in order to take out all the toxic materials within the body,” he said.

Ahmed, who said there was not yet enough dialysis centres in Nigeria, advised government at various levels to set up more dialysis centres to alleviate some of the problems patients with kidney failure were passing through.

“Some patients actually travel very long distances to access this care, and it is something they need to do every three days.”

On the FMC Abuja dialysis centre commissioned in December 2020,  Ahmed described the centre as a milestone achievement for the hospital in bringing the service closer to the people with kidney failure.

“We actually commissioned dialysis centre last year for the management of people with kidney failure.

“Before now, we have to be referring patients elsewhere to get the service, but with the provision of this machine, we are now able to do it in-house to the benefit of the patients.”

Ahmed said before now, it was a thing of concern to the hospital sending patients with kidney-related issues elsewhere.

“It is a concern, especially when you are giving patients first-class treatment and all of a sudden you have to refer them elsewhere, where they may not even get the same quality care because you do not have this service.

“We believe in what we do here and that is why we invested to have the centre in order to give them this service.

“Now we do not have an issue with regards to referrals, again. Patients are accessing the care and we are happy that we are giving the service to them.

He advised people with kidney failure within Abuja and its environ to make use of the FMC Jabi dialysis centre for the needed care.

“The dialysis centre is essential for the management of patients that have kidney challenge or failure. That is essentially the service that we provide.

“Of course for other general consultations in nephrology, that is diseases of the kidney in general, we have specialists that are there to see these patients and give appropriate treatment,” said the medical director.