AP Plans 22 New Dialysis Centres to Expand Kidney Care

Andhra Pradesh will expand access to kidney treatment with 22 new dialysis centres planned across the state, Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav has announced. The facilities will be established under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP), increasing the number of centres operating under the scheme from 61 to 83. The initiative aims to help patients, particularly those from economically weaker sections, receive regular treatment closer to their homes.

Apart from the PMNDP network, dialysis services are available at another 170 centres through the Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust. The government spent ₹197.88 crore on free dialysis services under the two schemes in 2025–26. During the current financial year, patients have received services worth ₹90.09 crore from April onwards, the minister said.

The new facilities will be distributed across districts, including West Godavari, Chittoor, YSR Kadapa, Krishna, SPSR Nellore, Bapatla, Tirupati, Prakasam, East Godavari, NTR, Palnadu, Vizianagaram, Nandyal and Sri Sathya Sai. Locations include Bhimavaram, Pileru, Jammalamadugu, Mydukur, Gannavaram, Gudivada, Venkatagiri, Udayagiri, Addanki, Repalle, Railway Koduru, Satyavedu, Kondapi, Kovvur, Nandigama, Vinukonda, Sattenapalle, Bobbili, Dhone, Sunkesula, Penukonda and Madakasira.

Each centre will have five dialysis machines, with an estimated investment of ₹85 lakh per facility. Together, the centres are expected to provide around 15 dialysis sessions daily per centre, while their combined annual operating expenditure is projected at approximately ₹11 crore. The existing 61 PMNDP centres have 754 machines, according to the minister.

The expansion is expected to reduce travel for patients who require dialysis regularly, helping families save on transportation and related expenses. The government spends around ₹999 per dialysis session, compared with ₹3,000 to ₹4,000 at private and corporate hospitals. Patients may need four to five sessions a month, depending on their condition, making free treatment an important financial support for low-income families.

Andhra Pradesh had 28 PMNDP centres before 2019, followed by 19 between 2019 and 2024 and another 14 from 2024–25 onwards. The minister said court proceedings had delayed some proposed facilities and that officials had been instructed to speed up implementation. Government spending under the two schemes rose from ₹126.58 crore in 2024–25 to ₹197.88 crore in 2025–26.