By Mardiyyah Abubakar
The Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic in Hadejia, Jigawa State, is improving access to life-saving dialysis services for patients across northern Nigeria.
The technology-enabled renal care facility, established by the FutureMap Foundation, was commissioned by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu during her recent visit to Jigawa State.
The foundation said it chose Hadejia to bring specialist healthcare closer to underserved communities instead of concentrating services in major cities.
The clinic addresses the growing burden of kidney disease in the Hadejia–Jama’are River Basin and neighbouring states, where many patients struggle to access treatment.
According to the report, most kidney disease cases in northern Nigeria are diagnosed at advanced stages, leaving many patients dependent on regular dialysis to survive.
Before the clinic opened, patients often travelled between 200 and 300 kilometres several times a week to receive treatment, placing heavy financial and emotional pressure on families.
The new facility has reduced travel time and treatment costs while allowing patients to receive care closer to their homes.
However, the report noted that demand has already exceeded the clinic’s capacity.
The dialysis unit currently operates with one machine, and each treatment session lasts about six hours, limiting the number of patients treated each day.
The report called for additional dialysis machines to increase the clinic’s capacity, reduce waiting times and improve access for patients from Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe and neighbouring states.
FutureMap Foundation said its long-term goal is to develop the facility into a regional centre offering dialysis, early kidney disease screening, specialist consultations, digital health services, community education and preventive care.
The report also urged governments, development partners, corporate organisations and philanthropists to support the expansion of dialysis services through equipment donations, patient assistance programmes and investments in healthcare infrastructure.
