Zambia will in September this year conduct its first ever kidney transplant surgical operation.
This will be made possible through a skills transfer partnership entered into between a United Kingdom based charity Transplant Links Community (TLC) and the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, UTH Managing Director Lackson Kasonka disclosed that in September alone three kidney transplants are envisaged to be performed.
Dr. Kasonka who was flanked by a delegation team from TCL said the commencement of kidney transplant operations by the UTH will now become part of other already existing programs such cardiac programs which are an effort aimed at enhancing health service provision to the people.He said UTH considers the commencement of Kidney transplant surgical operations as another independence gift to the Zambian people.
UTH managing director Luckson Kasonka said the first kidney transplant operation will be conducted with the help of surgeons from the United Kingdom (UK).
“For a start, kidney operations will be done with the help of our friends from the UK, then we will gain momentum to do these operations,’’ Dr Kasonka said.
Speaking at the same media briefing Transplants Links Community Chief Executive Officer Jennie Jewitt-Harris indicated that her charity expects to be involved in the country’s kidney transplant program for some time to come.
Dr. Jewitt-Harris said this is in order to ensure that the program develops and is sustainable.Earlier TCL surgeon Audren Ready expressed optimism that the commencement of kidney transplant operations will open a door for a new hope for Zambians on Dialysis.
Is that the Edgar’s kidney people where talking about before elections?
And Zambia after 50 years, and in the 21st Century, is when they are trying to conduct such an operation. Its leaders have been, and are still globetrotting on medical tourism all these years. Shame!
This will help a lot of our country men and women who are currently on dialysis.
Their lives will be improved greatly.
This is the way to go.
Keep it up UTH
Good development, keep it up!
OK, it is clear; it is the UK doctors who are going to do it and not UTH
Good start, guys. Let’s throw off the fear of doing the “impossible”. Remember this is your time and if you don’t seize the opportunity it will pass you by until the next century. Botswana is powering ahead, bringing down diamond processing from where it was considered sacred. In health, too, we must begin to break down these invisible, self-imposed barriers. Watch that procedure carefully, docs, and own it – possess it and make this an ordinary procedure!!!
There is more to transplants than what is being potrayed.
1. ? Donors
2. ? Tissue Compatibility testing facilities
3. ? supply of Anti tissue rejection drugs eg cyclosporin (expensive and taken for life)
4. Traditional myths and religious zealotry is a serious epidemic in zambia
Sort out these first then we can talk transplant. Do not risk peoples lives by giving them diseased organs and other blood borne diseases.