UMTH records first successful kidney transplant
Font size:    Our reporter 01/09/2010 00:00:00
The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) has performed its first successful kidney transplant.

The transplant was conducted on a 31-year-old Suleiman Usman, UMTH Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Othman Kyari, said yesterday.

Kyari told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that the transplant was conducted on Monday.

Kyari said the kidney was donated by the 27-year-old younger brother of the patient, Abubakar Usman.

He said: "The donor and the recipient are in good conditions and are recuperating.

"Although the hospital spent about N2 million on the transplant, we did not charge the patient a dime."

Kyari said the surgery was conducted in collaboration with the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) and Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital (AKUTH).

"The UMTH entered into collaboration with medical personnel from the OAUTH and AKUTH to carry out the transplant.

"The successful transplant is no doubt a product of long-term planning, especially, in terms of preparing our doctors through local and foreign courses," he added.

Kyari explained that UMTH collaborated with others because it was more profitable.

He said: "We decided to collaborate with sister agencies instead of foreign organisations because it was easier and manageable."

UMTH Kidney Centre Coordinator Dr Williams Wundi described the transplant as the first in the Northeast.

Wundi said: "This is the first indigenous transplant because the laboratory analysis and the operations were also conducted in the hospital."

Source:http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/11749.html

This is a new development for Nigeria and West Africa as a whole specially the interesting local collaboration between OAUTH and AKUTH. More collaboration like this will improve many sectors in development.

Nice one!! Sometimes I wonder why these operations are so costly. The transplant cost 2 million naira. What exactly would the money be used for?? Do they have to buy machines specifically for the operation Just wondering why they cost so much!!