TG Omori shares the high cost of kidney failure treatment

Nigerian music video director, ThankGod Omori, known as TG Omori, has talked about the heavy cost of treating kidney failure. He said that even a monthly salary of N1m may not be enough for dialysis treatment.

Omori shared his story during an interview on the Afropolitan podcast published on YouTube on Wednesday. He discussed his experience with kidney failure and the struggles he faced while waiting for a transplant.

He revealed that a dialysis session costs between N50,000 and N70,000 at some hospitals. At a private hospital, he paid between N150,000 and N200,000 for the same treatment.

Patients usually need up to three dialysis sessions each week. This means that the weekly cost can reach between N500,000 and N600,000.

“I spent a lot on surgery. Dialysis costs ₦70k a day, but at an exclusive place, I sometimes had 3 sessions a week, costing ₦500k. A minimum-wage person wouldn’t cope. I waited a year for a transplant, which cost ₦31m.

“So, a minimum-wage person is dead already on one session,” Omori stated.

He estimated that someone on dialysis for a year while waiting for a transplant could spend as much as N31m. This amount does not include extra tests, medications, and possible complications.

Omori also shared his failed attempt to get a kidney from his brother. It took them nine months to find a donor. Unfortunately, doctors later found out that the kidney did not match his body.

“My brother gave me his kidney after it took us 9 months to find a donor. The doctor said my body wasn’t accepting it, that it didn’t match.

“The doctor tried again, but it wasn’t responding. I was pissed, and they said they would have to take me back to see how they could make my body accept it. My brother still has to live with only one kidney,” he explained.

Thinking about the financial burden of treatment, Omori said that earning N1m monthly still would not be enough.

“So, automatically, if your salary is even one million naira a month, it can’t serve you,” he said.

He noted that this experience changed how he views money and financial support during serious illnesses.

“Even though money can’t buy happiness, money can still buy some time,” Omori concluded.