AAR expands dialysis services to meet demand

AAR Hospital is expanding its dialysis services in response to increasing demand, a trend reflecting the growing economic burden of kidney disease in Kenya.

The hospital marked World Kidney Day on Thursday, March 13th, by offering 24-hour dialysis services.

This expansion, said the healthcare provider, aligns with AAR Hospital's existing practice of providing 24-hour dialysis sessions twice a week, every Monday and Thursday, for patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

Its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aysha Edwards stated that the hospital's data indicates a rise in kidney disease cases and a corresponding increase in the need for dialysis treatment. Dialysis sessions at the hospital increased by 17.5 per cent between January 2024 and January 2025.

The hospital is one of a limited number of facilities in Kenya offering continuous dialysis treatment on specific days.

According to a study published in the US National Library of Medicine in September 2022, Kenya has an estimated CKD prevalence rate of 4 per cent compared to 14 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa. The study identified individuals over 60 years of age and those with HIV as being more vulnerable to CKD.

The economic impact of kidney disease in Kenya is significant. The Kenya Renal Registry's unpublished data identifies hypertensive renal disease and diabetic nephropathy as the leading causes of kidney disease in patients requiring kidney replacement therapy (KRT). However, the report notes that less than half of the patients who need KRT can access it.

International guidelines recommend dialysis three times a week for patients with end-stage kidney disease. However, this level of care is often unattainable in many sub-Saharan African countries, including Kenya, due to resource constraints.

The expansion of dialysis services by facilities like AAR Hospital addresses a critical need, but the broader economic challenges in providing adequate treatment for kidney disease remain, experts say.