Nigerian music video director ThankGod Omori, popularly known as TG Omori, has opened up about his battle with kidney failure and the enormous financial burden he faced while undergoing dialysis and waiting for a kidney transplant.
Omori shared details of his experience during an interview on the Afropolitan podcast, explaining that even someone earning ₦1 million monthly could struggle to meet the cost of regular dialysis.
According to the director, dialysis sessions at some hospitals cost between ₦50,000 and ₦70,000, while the private facility where he received treatment charged between ₦150,000 and ₦200,000 per session.
He said patients may require up to three sessions every week, meaning weekly expenses could reach approximately ₦500,000 to ₦600,000.
Omori said the financial burden becomes even more difficult when treatment continues for several months while a patient waits for a suitable donor.
He estimated that maintaining dialysis for about a year could cost as much as ₦31 million, excluding additional expenses such as medical tests, medication and treatment of complications.
Omori recounts failed transplant
The filmmaker also revealed that finding a suitable kidney donor was another major challenge.
He said it took about nine months to find a compatible donor, eventually leading to his brother donating a kidney.
However, the transplant initially failed because the donated kidney did not function properly in his body.
Omori said doctors carried out further surgery but eventually had to remove the transplanted kidney after determining that there was no blood flow to it.
He subsequently had to begin the search for another donor and undergo the transplant process again.
‘It was very traumatising’
Reflecting on the experience, Omori described the ordeal as traumatic and said there were aspects of his medical journey that he had never publicly discussed.
He also used his experience to highlight the financial pressure faced by people living with kidney failure, particularly those who need regular dialysis while waiting for a transplant.
Omori underwent a kidney transplant in 2024 and had previously spoken publicly about his health challenges.
His latest account has renewed discussion about the cost of kidney disease treatment in Nigeria and the financial difficulties patients and their families can face when prolonged dialysis is required.
