Keeping organ alive costs an arm and leg

On October 3, 54-year-old Jeff Magiri will be marking a year since he underwent a successful kidney transplant at Global Hospital in India. But he has little reason to celebrate.

The father of two was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure in 2012. He recalls how he stretched his budget to go for specialised treatment.

After organising a fund-raiser, Mr Magiri, who is also diabetic, sought medical attention at the Kenyatta National Hospital and Kikuyu Hospital, where he underwent dialysis twice weekly.

“KNH charged Sh5,500 per session, while Kikuyu charged Sh7,500. I was forced to interchange the two facilities because one of them would often be fully booked,” he recalled.

Doctors advised him to look for a kidney donor and, luckily, his son, Kelvin Mwenda, was willing. After compatibility tests, he was referred to the Indian hospital for the transplant.

However, the Sh1.9 million bill left his family financially drained and that was not the end of his woes.

After the operation, a patient must take expensive anti-rejection drugs (immunosuppressants), for the rest of their lives to prevent organ rejection.

The medication costs between Sh30,000 and Sh40,000 a month

“The cost is prohibitive,” Mr Magiri said.

After the transplant, he came back home with medication to last for six months.

He now has drugs to last until Friday.

The last drugs he took were borrowed from a friend with a similar condition. And he has to repay.

Numerous calls to hospitals and drug stores in Nairobi have borne no fruit.

“My supplier in India says they can only be delivered on Tuesday. I don’t have any for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I do not know what to do,” he said dejectedly.