AP Expands Dialysis Access with 22 New PMNDP Centres
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has sanctioned 22 new PMNDP dialysis centres to improve renal care across the state. Consequently, the total tally of operational centres under the national programme will rise from 61 to 83. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced this expansion to relieve the severe financial strain on families facing chronic kidney disease. Furthermore, the initiative targets underserved rural taluks and towns through community and area hospitals. Clinicians frequently encounter patients who default on dialysis due to prohibitive travel expenses. Therefore, establishing decentralized dialysis units directly addresses treatment compliance and patient outcomes.
Decentralized Infrastructure in PMNDP Dialysis Centres
Each newly approved facility will house five modern haemodialysis machines at an outlay of Rs 85 lakh. Consequently, every centre will handle up to 15 treatment sessions daily. The state plans to establish these facilities in area hospitals and community health centres across multiple districts. For example, sites include Bhimavaram in West Godavari, Pileru in Chittoor, and Jammalamadugu in YSR Kadapa. In addition, centres will open at Gudivada and Gannavaram in Krishna district, and Udayagiri in Nellore.
Moreover, the state has identified strategic taluks including Kovvur, Bobbili, Vinukonda, and Sattenapalli. Patients in these remote clusters previously traveled dozens of kilometres for maintenance therapy. Hence, local access reduces indirect costs like transport and caregiver wage loss. In total, 754 dialysis machines operate across existing centres under the central initiative. The addition of these 22 units will expand overall throughput significantly.
Financial Relief and Clinical Impact on Renal Care
End-stage renal disease imposes immense financial and physical burdens on vulnerable households. In India, approximately 2.2 lakh new patients develop end-stage renal disease every year. This massive caseload drives an annual demand for over 3.4 crore dialysis sessions nationwide. However, private and corporate hospitals routinely charge between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per session. In contrast, the government spends only Rs 999 per session under the public-private partnership framework.
Therefore, providing free dialysis at secondary healthcare centres prevents medical impoverishment. The Andhra Pradesh government allocated Rs 197.8 crore during the 2025-26 fiscal year for dialysis coverage. Additionally, the administration has spent Rs 90.09 crore so far in 2026-27. Alongside PMNDP, the state runs 170 centres under the Dr. NTR Vaidya Seva Trust. Thus, integrating national schemes with state welfare infrastructure ensures continuous maintenance therapy for chronic patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the main objective of setting up these new dialysis centres in Andhra Pradesh?
The primary objective is to enhance access to free haemodialysis for poor patients in rural and semi-urban taluks. Furthermore, it significantly reduces the need for expensive travel to tertiary medical centres.
Q2: How many machines will each new PMNDP centre house?
Each new centre will house five haemodialysis machines costing approximately Rs 85 lakh. Consequently, each facility can perform up to 15 dialysis sessions every day.
Q3: How does the cost of PMNDP dialysis compare to private hospital care?
The state government incurs an expenditure of Rs 999 per session and delivers it free to eligible patients. In contrast, private corporate hospitals charge between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per session.
References
- Andhra govt to add 22 dialysis centres under PMNDP - ETHealthworld
- The Hindu. 22 new dialysis centres to come up in Andhra Pradesh. Published October 13, 2026.
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) Operational Guidelines.
