Cost Evaluation of Haemodialysis for End Stage Renal Disease Patients: Experience from Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Maintenance haemodialysis is a life sustaining mode of treatment of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients. However, the widespread and sustained application of this mode of treatment has been largely unsuccessful because of costs.

Objectives: To assess the costs and use of haemodialysis in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital.

Method: Cost of baseline investigation, admissions, medications and dialysis proper were assessed. This was compared to the total salaries of both the state and federal Government civil servants. Dialysis records for the patients, over the past 2 years, were evaluated to assess the frequency of dialysis per patient.

Results: Average dialysis cost per month inclusive of procedures, investigations, medications and dialysis proper was about N292,950 for the 1^st month for twice a week dialysis and N357,950 for the first month for 3 times a week dialysis. Annual cost was N1,889,450 for twice weekly dialysis and N2,760,450 for 3 times a week dialysis. This is in contrast to the average annual salary of state civil service workers which ranged from N216,000:00 to N1,965,612:00 and Federal Civil Service workers ranging from N777984:00 to N2553992:92 (CONTISS 9- CONTISS 15) .

Conclusion: Maintenance haemodialysis as is currently practiced is extremely very expensive and is out of the financial reach of most Nigerians including employed ones. This is even more important as virtually all our ESRD patients are not working. There is need to review costs to enable our ESRD patients to dialyse adequately.