N1m salary can’t cover dialysis, TG Omori details kidney failure battle

Nigerian music video director ThankGod Omori, widely known as TG Omori, has shared insights into the financial hardship of treating kidney failure in an interview on the Afropolitan podcast. Even a monthly salary of N1m may prove insufficient to cover the costs of dialysis treatment, which can range from N50,000 to N70,000 per session at some hospitals, and up to N200,000 at private facilities.

Patients may require up to three dialysis sessions per week, leading to weekly expenses of N500,000 to N600,000. Omori spent a significant amount on surgery and estimated that undergoing dialysis for a year while awaiting a transplant could cost as much as N31m, not including additional tests, medication, or potential complications.

He recounted a failed attempt to receive a kidney transplant from his brother, which took nine months to find a compatible donor as the doctor discovered the kidney was not a suitable match. Despite earning N1m monthly, Omori highlighted that such a salary would still not be enough to cover the financial burden of the treatment. He emphasized that money can buy time during serious illness, even if it cannot purchase happiness.