Mulago National Referral Hospital is poised to discharge a patient who recently underwent a kidney transplant by the end of this week. Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, the acting executive director of the hospital, reported that both the kidney transplant recipient and the donor were in good health. The hospital plans to conduct a second kidney transplant before the end of the month, with additional procedures in the pipeline.
A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that involves placing a healthy kidney from either a living or deceased donor into a person whose kidneys are no longer functioning properly. The kidneys, responsible for filtering and removing waste from the blood, play a crucial role in maintaining overall health.
The positive developments come after Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng announced on December 20, 2023, that Mulago Hospital had successfully performed its first kidney transplant on a patient who had been on dialysis for two years. Currently, the hospital conducts around 1,082 dialysis sessions annually for patients suffering from end-stage kidney disease, also known as kidney failure.
Kidney failure is a medical condition where the kidneys are unable to adequately filter waste products from the blood. Dialysis, a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood, becomes necessary when the kidneys no longer function properly.
Recent studies indicate a 13% prevalence of kidney disease in the population, with approximately 2% of the population having end-stage kidney disease. Dialysis is a crucial intervention for end-stage cases.
Health Minister Aceng revealed the establishment of the Transplant Council, acknowledging the need for capacity building due to the novelty of transplant procedures in Uganda. Experts from Yashoda Hospitals in India, known for their extensive experience, were invited to assess the readiness of the hospital’s theaters. Private facilities have also expressed readiness, and the visiting surgeons will continue to provide support.
As Mulago Hospital delves into kidney transplant procedures, costs are a significant consideration. The estimated cost of a kidney transplant ranges from $15,000 to over $30,000. Dr. Byanyima and her team are meticulously analyzing all expenses related to patient care, including human resources, and will communicate a comprehensive cost report covering pre-preparation, dialysis, and post-transplant stages to the public.
