LASUTH partners Apollo Hospital on kidney transplant centre

Succour seems to have come the way of people suffering from renal (kidney) failure.

It followed plan to set up a kidney transplant centre at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, in partnership with India-based Apollo Hospital.

At a press conference in Lagos, LASUTH’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Adewale Oke, said: “We are partnering with Apollo Hospital to improve on what we have. Our arrangement is such that they will come, work with us, look at our patients and give advice. And if necessary, we will be able to send some of our consultants and resident doctors to their hospital.

Oke said the aim of the collaboration is to reduce medical tourism in the state and the country, in line with the government’s policy for Lagos State.
    
“The beauty of reducing medical tourism is to ensure patients are treated here in an environment they are conversant with and among their relations. I am not saying we are going to do everything here. For patients with special issues, which we may not be able to tackle here, we might ask the government or if they can afford it, take them to Apollo Hospital, to have their surgeries done.”
   
One of the visiting doctors, Manoj Gumba, Consultant Nephrologist at Apollo Hospital, said renal transplant is the best form of renal replacement therapy.
   
He said: “It is costly to do a dialysis programme, but it is cost-effective to support a renal transplant programme. No doubt, initially, the cost of the facility, exchanging ideas, and travelling may seem higher, but looking at three years down the line, the cost of transplant is definitely going to be low. As far as longevity, quality of life and cost are concerned, renal transplant is the best renal replacement therapy.”