N1M SALARY CAN’T COVER DIALYSIS, TG OMORI DETAILS KIDNEY FAILURE BATTLE

Nigerian music video director Thank God Omori, popularly known as TG Omori, has opened up about the financial burden of treating kidney failure, saying even a monthly salary of N1m may not be enough to sustain dialysis treatment.

Omori spoke during an interview on the Afropolitan podcast published on YouTube on Wednesday, where he recounted his experience with kidney failure and the challenges he faced while waiting for a transplant.

The music video director said a dialysis session costs between N50,000 and N70,000 at some hospitals, while he paid between N150,000 and N200,000 at a private facility.

According to Omori, patients may require as many as three dialysis sessions a week, pushing the weekly cost to between N500,000 and N600,000.

He said the cost of treatment could become overwhelming for people on low incomes, particularly those who require prolonged dialysis while waiting for a transplant.

Omori estimated that a patient undergoing dialysis for about a year while awaiting a transplant could spend as much as N31m, excluding additional tests, medication and possible complications.

He also recounted his experience trying to receive a kidney from his brother, saying it took nine months to find a donor before doctors discovered that the kidney was not compatible with his body.

According to him, doctors made further attempts to make the transplant work, but his body did not respond to the kidney.

Omori said the situation was particularly difficult because his brother had donated one of his kidneys and would have to continue living with only one kidney.

Reflecting on the financial demands of his treatment, the music video director said even earning N1m every month would not be enough to cover the cost of dialysis.

He said the experience changed his perspective on money and the role financial resources can play during serious illness.

Omori noted that although money cannot buy happiness, it can provide additional time and access to treatment when someone is facing a serious health challenge.

In 2024, Omori revealed that he had undergone a kidney transplant, saying his only brother donated one of his kidneys to him.

He later shared a photograph of himself receiving treatment in hospital with the caption, “Keep my spirit alive.”