The Andhra Pradesh government has approved the opening of 22 new dialysis centers under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP), increasing the state’s total to 83. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav made the announcement on Tuesday, explaining that the decision followed rising patient demand and requests from local representatives. The new centers will be established at 22 specific locations, including Bhimavaram Area Hospital in West Godavari, Pileru Area Hospital in Chittoor, and multiple community health centers in districts like Krishna, Nellore, and Palnadu.
Each center will be equipped with five dialysis machines, costing approximately ₹85 lakh per site, and will conduct 15 sessions daily. The estimated annual expenditure for services provided through these new centers is around ₹11 crore. Officials have been instructed to expedite construction to ensure all centers open as scheduled, though some projects face delays due to ongoing legal challenges. The government’s prioritization of these locations aims to reduce patients’ travel and related expenses, addressing a key barrier for rural residents seeking treatment.
As of now, 61 dialysis centers operate under PMNDP, while an additional 170 facilities function through the NTR Vaidya Seva Trust. Among these, 21 are managed by the government sector, while the remaining 149 operate under private and corporate partnerships. The government allocated ₹197.8 crore for free dialysis services in 2025-26, with ₹90.09 crore already budgeted for 2026-27. Under PMNDP, each session costs ₹999, a fraction of the ₹3,000–₹4,000 charged by private hospitals. The program’s public-private partnership model ensures cost efficiency while expanding access. Since 2019, the state has expanded its dialysis network by 41 centers, with 28 established before 2019, 19 between 2019 and 2024, and 14 since 2024-25.
The new additions aim to ease financial pressure on patients, many of whom require 3.4 crore annual dialysis sessions nationwide due to 2.2 lakh new end-stage renal disease (ESRD) cases reported yearly in India. Launched in 2016-17, the program offers free treatment to below-poverty-line patients through a public-private partnership, with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare overseeing its implementation under the National Health Mission. The new centers will add to the existing 754 dialysis machines across PMNDP facilities. In 2024-25, the state spent ₹126.5 crore on dialysis services.
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