The Cost of Kidney Transplant in Nigeria: All You Need to Know

Kidney related diseases are on the norm in our country nowadays and most of them are requiring a kidney transplant for their treatment. Now you may be wondering what a kidney transplant is but don’t worry, in this article, I am going to explain all you need to know about Kidney transplants including the cost of Kidney Transplant in Nigeria.

Firstly, a kidney transplant is a medical procedure done on a person whose two kidneys have issues, a donor (healthy person with two healthy kidneys) donates one of his kidneys to the patient and the donor lives on with one kidney.

The cost of kidney transplant in Nigeria

Kidney transplants are very expensive, regardless of where, how and when it is done. Apart from the fact that the process is a very delicate one, the preservation of the donor’s kidney to be transferred, either from a dead or from a living being, is another very strenuous process. These reasons and so much more contribute to the high cost of kidney transplant in Nigeria.

The Prices of kidney transplant vary, The variation is as a result of several factors which include the type of kidney transplant that the patient is going for, the nature and state of the kidney donor (dead or alive), the hospital ( government-owned or private), the packages and drugs that come with the procedure, and some other factors. These being considered, the cost kidney transplants in Nigeria is between N4.7 million – N7 million.

Some of the factors that dictate the cost of kidney transplant in Nigeria include:

• The type and the State of the Kidney Donor – The choice of operation you are going for largely affects how much you will spend for the process. Usually, the doctor advises you on the best type to go for and this also depends largely on the state of the donor. There are three main types – Deceased Donor kidney transplant (which involves getting a kidney from a dead human), Living Donor kidney transplant (which involves getting a kidney from a living human), and pre-emptive kidney transplant (which entails having the kidney transplant before total failure of the donor’s kidney). The amount the various types of kidney transplant goes for vary. Usually, depending on the situation and circumstance, the medical doctor should be in the best place to advise which to go for, provided the resources are available.
• The Cost of Test Pre and Post Kidney Transplant – This is another factor that greatly affects the cost of Kidney Transplant in Nigeria. Usually, the diagnosis of kidney issues that require transplant would be because of several tests and examinations. You need to consider how much the various test cost. In addition, patients may also be required to take numerous tests even after the transplant. Costs of tests vary and add to the overall cost of kidney transplants in Nigeria; depending on the nature and the hospital, you can take a test for as low as N1, 000 or as high as N50, 000.
• The Type of Hospital – This is a very and highly important factor to consider when assessing the cost of kidney transplant in Nigeria. There is no specified amount for the cost of kidney transplant Nigeria, so it largely depends on where you are doing it. On a General note, medical procedures like this are much cheaper in Federal and State owned hospitals, whether they are medical centers or teaching hospitals. However, it is not the same in Private hospitals. While private clinics boast similar skilled and veteran medical doctors as their public counterparts, they are much more costly than government owned hospitals.

Therefore, I advise you to consider all these factors before concluding on the cost of Kidney transplant in Nigeria

Side Effects/Complications of Kidney Transplant

Just like any other medical procedure, kidney transplants have their own complications. Please note that not all kidney transplant patients experience this. In fact, while a lot of people experience short-term complications, which clear a while after a short while, only a few experience more serious complications that could even involve further surgery to treat.

The side effects are:

Infection

Patients have reported trivial infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), colds, and flu, after kidney transplants. Sometimes more serious infections like pneumonia and cytomegalovirus (CMV) have also been reported in few cases.

Blood clots

Blood clots can accumulate in the arteries that have been linked to the donated kidney. This happens in very rare cases and isn’t commonplace.

Narrowing of an artery

Some patients have reported contraction of the artery linked to the donated kidney (a medical condition known as arterial stenosis) few days after kidney transplant. In some cases, the condition can mature months, or even years, after the procedure is done.

A Blocked ureter

The tube that transports urine from the kidney to the bladder (the ureter) can become choked after a kidney transplant. This can be because of blood clots, and other similar reasons. Depending on the case, this issue can persist for days, months or even years.

Urine leakage

This is one of the very rare cases reported after kidney transplant. Some have complained that urine leak from where the ureter connects to the bladder after the transplant. This typically occurs during the first few months after the procedure. This process usually requires further surgery to correct.

Acute rejection

This means that the immune system abruptly begins to work against the donated kidney because it sees it as foreign tissue. This case is extremely rare and discomforting and should be reported to the doctor as soon as possible because it is extremely deadly if left unattended.

Other serious complications include':

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes and
• Cancer