Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed concern over the state of kidney healthcare in Nigeria after visiting nearly 1,000 kidney patients in Enugu.
Obi described the visit as one of the most disheartening experiences he has had, saying he encountered Nigerians facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives despite living in a country with abundant resources.
The former governor disclosed this in a post on his official X account on Friday morning, following his visit to Enugu after attending the funeral Mass of Most Rev. Obiora Akubeze in Benin City.
Obi said the patients he met included children and people who were struggling to access adequate treatment for kidney-related conditions.
“Yesterday, after the funeral mass of Most Rev Obiora Akubeze in Benin City, I travelled to Enugu to meet nearly 1,000 kidney patients. It was one of the most disheartening visits I have had,” he wrote.
He lamented what he described as the helplessness of Nigerians battling kidney disease in a country with significant human and natural resources.
According to Obi, Nigeria has more than 25 million people living with kidney disease but has fewer than 200 kidney centres and approximately 500 functioning dialysis machines.
He said the country would ideally require about 5,000 functioning dialysis machines to adequately respond to the scale of the health challenge.
“This is completely unacceptable,” Obi stated.
The former governor also commended Emmanuel Onyeka Okoh, popularly known as Okwuluora, for organising the charity initiative and providing humanitarian support to Nigerians living with kidney disease.
Obi described Okoh’s work as a selfless humanitarian service aimed at supporting citizens who are unable to meet the financial demands associated with kidney treatment.
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He said he had assured the organiser of his continued support for the initiative and disclosed that he had made an initial donation towards the project.
“I assured him of my ongoing support, starting today with my initial donation to his work with the kidney patients,” Obi said.
The former presidential candidate also called on the Federal Government, state governments and other levels of government to take greater responsibility for healthcare investment.
He argued that increased investment in the health sector was necessary to guarantee a healthier population and improve access to life-saving treatment for Nigerians.
Obi’s comments come amid longstanding concerns over the cost and availability of dialysis and other forms of specialised kidney care in Nigeria, where patients often face significant financial and logistical challenges in accessing treatment.
He maintained that healthcare should receive greater attention from government as part of efforts to improve the welfare and quality of life of citizens.
“The Federal Government, and Government at all levels must take the lead in actively investing in health to guarantee a healthier population for all,” he said.
Obi concluded his message by restating his belief that Nigeria can achieve meaningful transformation through better governance and sustained investment in critical sectors.
“A new Nigeria is POssible,” he wrote.