Kidney transplantation in Ghana ''Time for legislation''

On July 4 and 5, 2023, two successful ground-breaking kidney transplant surgeries were performed at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). 

The procedures were ground-breaking not because they were the first kidney transplantation that had taken place on the hallowed grounds of the KBTH, but because they were the first by a local team of doctors and other health professionals.

Historically, the first successful kidney transplant was performed in Boston in the US in 1954.

It was, however, in 2008 that the first kidney transplantations were performed at KBTH. 

Partnership

The arrangement then was to partner a team of health professionals from Queens Hospital in the United Kingdom (UK) with support from a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called Transplant Links.

The team comprised of surgeons, nephrologists, anaesthetists, critical care nurses among others with their own set of equipment.

These professionals from the UK were flown down to perform the surgeries, and some would stay back to observe the recovery of the patients.

These rounds of surgeries were helpful but did not meet the vision and ambition of the hospital administration and the local medical team.

While still determined to pursue the vision of localising kidney transplantation, KBTH received a shot in the arm when one of its long time major donors, the First Sky Group, and its Executive Chairman, Eric Seddy Kutortse, offered to sponsor the kidney transplant procedures at KBTH.

Through collaboration, the hospital and First Sky Group succeeded in bringing down the Transplant Links in 2019 to perform kidney transplant for four patients.

This marked the end of bringing in expatriate teams and set the stage for the new paradigm of localising kidney transplantation at the KBTH. 

Organ transplantation

On assumption of office, the Chief Executive of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, had a vision to deepen and firmly establish not just kidney but tissue transplantation for other organs and parts of the body.

The visions of Dr Ampomah Mr Kutortse and their respective teams merged and resulted in assembling the local transplantation team.  

At this juncture, special mention must be made of Prof. J.E. Mensah, Prof. Vincent Boima, Dr Kwabena Adade and Prof. Matthew Kyei, and their respective teams who are the main drivers of the kidney transplantation programme at the KBTH.

While First Sky Group is committed to providing the required finances for the procedures, the local transplant team laboured in its preparatory works, leaving no stone unturned to guarantee nothing but success.

The multi-disciplinary team that ensured the success of the operations and deserves our commendations comprises of nephrologists, surgeons, anaesthetists, critical care doctors and nurses, perioperative nurses, ward nurses, clinical psychologists, pharmacists, dieticians, radiologists and radiographers, cardiologists, biomedical engineers, orderlies, accountants, administrative staff, and other clinical and non-clinical staff.

The team was supported by Dr Rajeev Sood, an experienced Indian transplant surgeon, who also deserves our commendation as he was on hand to play a critical supervisory role.

He was accompanied by an instruments technician.

After the successful first attempt, plans are underway to perform a second round of kidney transplantations at the KBTH this month — August 2023.

 As the procedure picks up and becomes routine, the 1,000 end-stage patients on dialysis across the country may have to exit the tri-weekly dialysis at a point. 

Legal framework

However, the current regime of accepting only donations from family may become a barrier to some patients if no compatible member of the family is found.

Therefore, as the hospital and its partners forge ahead to institutionalise kidney and other transplantations locally, it is imperative to support the hospital with an enabling legal framework that facilitates the donation, harvesting and storage of organs for transplantation.

The ministries of Health and Justice, as well as Parliament, must gird their loins to help to provide the required legislation to fully establish this emerging frontier in our healthcare services.

If the necessary legislations are passed, the pain, financial and other difficulties Ghanaians go through in accessing kidney and related transplantation services abroad will reduce to the barest minimum.

For instance, an average of GH₵700,000 will be required to undergo kidney transplant outside Ghana when this could be done at a fraction of the cost locally.

Therefore, localising kidney transplants as being done at the KBTH now is commendable and should be supported by all.

In conclusion, the ground-breaking feat chalked up by the KBTH has taken place 70 years after the first kidney transplant in the US.

This feat by our own staff holds great promise in ameliorating the suffering of our renal patients and their families.

It will also assist in cementing Ghana's claim as the hub of health tourism in the West Africa sub-region.  

All hands must, therefore, be on deck to guarantee ultimate success.

The writer is the Public Relations Officer of KBTH

Email: m.salifu@kbth.gov.gh