Kidney Failure and the Real Cost of Dialysis in Pakistan

Kidney failure is one of the most silent and devastating medical crises in Pakistan. The kidneys are responsible for filtering waste from the blood. When they fail, that waste builds up — and without dialysis, a patient can die within days to weeks.

What Is Dialysis?

Dialysis is a machine-based process that does what the kidneys can no longer do: filter the blood. Most patients with end-stage kidney failure need to attend a dialysis centre three times every week, with each session lasting 3–4 hours.

The Cost — And Why It Is Unaffordable

In Pakistan, each dialysis session costs approximately PKR 3,500–5,000 ($12–18 USD). For a family where the breadwinner earns minimum wage — around PKR 30,000–40,000 per month — dialysis alone consumes their entire income, before food, rent, or other medical expenses.

• 3 sessions per week = 12–13 sessions per month
• Monthly dialysis cost: PKR 45,000–65,000 ($155–220 USD)
• Many families cannot sustain this for more than a few months
• Without dialysis: the patient dies within 1–2 weeks

Khalid's Story

Khalid M., 58, is a retired school teacher in Karachi. He raised two children and spent 30 years educating Pakistan's youth. Now, at the end of his life, he attends dialysis three times a week just to survive. His pension covers food. It does not cover dialysis. His grandchildren are watching their grandfather get sicker.

He was a teacher his whole life. He gave everything to his students and his family. Now we are asking strangers to help keep him alive — because the system that should protect him does not exist.