A medical breakthrough in Ghana as Korle Bu performs four kidney transplants

This article describes a medical breakthrough in Ghana as Korle Bu Hospital in collaboration with Transplant Link in UK, performs four successful kidney transplants. It was reported that the patients whose kidneys failed were successfully operated, and now they are doing well.

Kidney failure

Kidney failure was a common disease in Ghana, often caused by high blood pressure and diabetes. The patients diagnosed with kidney failure relied on a kidney dialysis machine to survive. The transplant could save patients from long hours of weekly kidney dialysis because it saves time.

Ghana has currently gone through a major medical breakthrough in local medical practice in the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). The hospital, in collaboration with Transplant Links UK, has performed four successful kidney transplants. Surgeons and kidney specialists led the team.

Kidney donors

The kidney donors were healthy members of the patients’ families. This was basically to ensure that the patient recovers from his condition away from the kidney dialysis machine.

A statement issued by the Public Relations Department of the KBTH

The donor operation was carried out through a keyhole surgery technique. This allows the donors to spend a few hours in the hospital after operation and accumulation of hospital bills.

The kidney donor is assessed before the operation to ensure they are healthy and able to donate their kidneys safely. The donated kidney is then transplanted into the relative with kidney failure. The patient, however, has to take medications to avoid resistance.

The transplant Link and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has been in collaboration since the year 2008, and many patients have benefited from this.

The objective of the Kidney Transplant Program was to build the local capacity and make kidney transplant a routine procedure performed by the local surgeons.

Also read: Everything You Need to Know About Kidney Failure