MTRH records 19 successful kidney transplants
Doctors at the Kenyatta National Hospital carry out a kidney transplant on August 27, 2013. MTRH has recorded successful transplants. PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Aruasa said that this success was made possible by the hospital’s decision to invest in modern kidney transplant machines at the hospital.
- Dr Aruasa said that the recent move by the MTRH to sign a memorandum of understanding with Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties would boost health care in the region.
The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTHR) has succeeded in transplanting 19 kidneys to patients in the past two years.
MTRH chief executive officer Wilson Aruasa said that this success was made possible by the hospital’s decision to invest in modern kidney transplant machines at the hospital.
“As a hospital, we have invested a lot in kidney transplant facilities. These are the most expensive modern facilities in East and Central Africa and we are planning to buy more machines to cater for the huge number of patients who come seeking specialist kidney treatment,” said Dr Aruasa.
Addressing journalists at the hospital on Saturday, Dr Aruasa said the cost of kidney transplant at MTRH is cheaper than India where many Kenyans seek kidney transplants.
“Our charges are extremely cheap compared to India where many Kenyans go to seek kidney transplant services. Here we charge as little as Sh500,000 compared to India where they charge more than Sh2.5 million,” he said.
Dr Aruasa asked Kenyans with kidney failure challenges to seek medical services at MTRH instead of going overseas, where the treatment is expensive.
Experts from the hospital have advised parents to embrace on routine urine check in children to establish indications of kidney complications at an early stage, to get treatment on time.
Dr Aruasa said the government had set aside more than Sh100 million for the expansion of the intensive care unit.
The project, which will be functional by next year, will increase ICU units from the current six to 30 as the hospital seeks to offer specialised care.
Dr Aruasa said that the recent move by the MTRH to sign a memorandum of understanding with Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties would boost health care in the region.
He said the hospital had also partnered with Indiana University from the US, which has already donated a neurosurgery drill and a neuron microscope, valued at Sh20 million.
“We’ve already managed to perform surgeries to more than 100 people suffering from brain and spinal complication at subsidized prices at our wing at the Chandaria Cancer and Chronic diseases centre,”said Dr Aruasa.
