Ivorian government expands access to kidney disease treatment centers

The Ivorian government is increasing access to hemodialysis treatment for kidney disease patients by establishing new centers and treatment posts across the country. Daloa, for example, has had a hemodialysis center at its Regional Hospital Center since September 2024, serving approximately sixty patients in the Haut-Sassandra region. This initiative aims to allow patients to receive care closer to home, reducing travel burdens and costs. Massita Koné, an elderly patient, shared that before the Daloa center opened, she had to travel to Yamoussoukro for treatment, which was expensive and exhausting. The cost of a hemodialysis session in public facilities is subsidized by the state, set at 1750 FCFA, significantly easing the financial strain on patients. Faustin Mambo Yapo, president of dialyzed patients in the region, noted that he previously spent 65,000 FCFA per session at a private hospital. Since the creation of the National Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Kidney Failure in 2012, Côte d'Ivoire has significantly strengthened its care infrastructure. The number of treatment posts increased from 10 in 2011 to 107 in 2017, and then to 157 in 2023. Currently, the country has 18 public hemodialysis centers located in cities such as Aboisso, Abidjan, Adzopé, Bouaké, Gagnoa, Daloa, Korhogo, Man, and Yamoussoukro.