Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys lose their ability to filter toxins from the blood. Without treatment, it is fatal. The most common causes in Nigeria are high blood pressure, diabetes, infections, excessive alcohol, unregulated herbal mixtures and painkillers, and genetic conditions.
Once a patient reaches end-stage kidney failure, the options are dialysis at ₦50,000–₦70,000 per session two to three times a week, or a transplant costing ₦25–35 million excluding follow-up drugs. A kidney function test costs about ₦30,000.
That maths is why NNKF puts 40% of its campaign budget into free screening. Early detection is not just better medicine — for most families it is the only affordable medicine.
