The cost of kidney dialysis treatment in Rwanda is expected to drop from Rwf75,000 to Rwf45,000 per session, with further reductions anticipated, according to the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Yvan Butera. He made the announcement on March 6 while responding to lawmakers’ concerns about healthcare access and affordability. “It [the cost] was recently at Rwf75,000, but we are pushing to go even below Rwf45,000. We are studying a new model with a few institutions that are already implementing it. Currently, we have a median cohort of 150 patients, but we want to push the cost further down to Rwf45,000 and even lower. It’s possible,” he said. ALSO READ: Drugs covered by Mutuelle double with Rwf20bn more funding Dr. Butera added that the government aims to implement the cost reduction before the end of the year. “Before the end of the year, everything should be covered. We have more machines. It’s what we call pooled procurement, where you get most of what you need ahead of time and then pay a lesser price,” he explained. Currently, dialysis treatment falls into two categories. Some patients require dialysis three times a week, paying Rwf100,000 per session, amounting to Rwf300,000 per week or nearly Rwf1 million per month, making it unaffordable for many. Patients with transplanted kidneys need about Rwf150,000 per month for medication. Missing treatment for three days can be fatal. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the seventh leading cause of death from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide. In 2016, Senators called for expanding the Mutuelle de Santé insurance scheme to cover NCD treatment. Concerns over the rising burden of such diseases prompted discussions on making treatment more affordable. In 2023, the Ministry of Health reduced the cost of dialysis from Rwf160,000 to Rwf75,000 per session to make it more accessible. Despite this, some community-based health insurance scheme (Mutuelle de Santé) beneficiaries say they still bear the full cost, as the insurance does not currently cover dialysis. ALSO READ: Price cut for treatment of kidney failure now in effect The 2023 International Society of Nephrology - Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA) report highlights that around 850 million people globally are affected by chronic kidney disease, with disadvantaged populations at higher risk. The global burden of kidney failure remains serious due to high treatment costs and its impact on patients’ health and well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that kidneys are the most donated organ worldwide, followed by the liver and heart. In Rwanda, 44 patients have received kidney transplants so far. Dr. Butera noted that kidney transplants and heart surgeries are among the major medical cases referred abroad for treatment. He said that a domestic kidney transplant procedure programme was launched in 2023, stressing that such medical procedure goes hand in hand with the recent increase in healthcare services covered by Mutuelle de Sante which helps majority of Rwandans to get insured medical treatment. Starting in July, Mutuelle de Santé will expand its coverage to include kidney transplants, heart surgeries, and cancer treatments to enhance healthcare accessibility and affordability for Rwandans.
