In Gabon, the number of dialysis centers is increasing rapidly in parallel with the increase in the number of patients suffering from renal insufficiency, which has impacted the country’s public finances.
The number of dialysis centers has increased from 4 to 11 in only 5 years, as the number of patients has doubled in 2023.
This worrying increase in the number of patients was confirmed by a medical officer of a dialysis center, who noted that they used to have about 20 patients, whereas they are now approaching 100 patients.
As for the causes of kidney failure, the Secretary General of the Gabonese Society of Nephrology, Dr Arthur Kanganga Ekomie mentioned diabetes, high blood pressure, and infections.
Hemodialysis patients are automatically covered by public health insurance, as dialysis sessions are too expensive.
The increase in cases increases the bill for medical care, which is costly for the state. In this context, the Director General of the National Health Insurance and Social Guarantee Fund warned that public expenditure in this area has reached about 11.3 million euros, compared to 5.1 billion in 2021.