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Paidamoyo Chipunza : Senior Health Reporter
Government is looking forward to the recommencement of kidney transplants at Chitungwiza Central Hospital in the shortest possible time as a permanent exit from haemodialysis, Health and Child Care Secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji has said.
Haemodialysis is the process of removing waste from the body by a machine, which acts as artificial kidneys. This process costs up to $150 at some Government institutions, while others are charging as low as $50 a session.
Speaking at a kidney transplant conference organised by the hospital in Harare over the weekend, Dr Gwinji said Chitungwiza Central Hospital has potential to set up an initial low key programme.
“Naturally this requires a proper strategy to be adopted and with careful planning there is no doubt that the first cases will be a success,” he said.
Dr Gwinji said it is also evident that specialists with required knowledge in kidney transplants are available.
He said Chitungwiza Central Hospital has managed to set up a kidney transplant unit which will house both the recipient and the donor during transplantation.
He said purchase of most instruments and other apparatus has also been done to ensure that the programme commences.
“This project will benefit the citizens of the Republic of Zimbabwe as the operations are now going to be done in Zimbabwe instead of abroad and save on costs,” said Dr Gwinji.
Dr Gwinji said although the kidney transplant initiative is designed to ensure that kidney disease receives the focus it deserves, it is also important to recognise and build on continued scientific developments in the battle against kidney diseases.
Speaking at the same occasion, Chitungwiza Hospital’s chief executive officer Dr Obadiah Moyo said his institution is now ready to commence its first transplantation.
“We are now in the final stages of our preparations and we are looking forward to officially open the unit soonest,” said Dr Moyo.
He said currently, Chitungwiza Hospital has eight dialysis machines used in treatment of people with chronic kidney problems.
He said the institution is also confident that the procedure will be a success as there has been a lot of preparation for both pre and post operation.
Urologists, haematologists, clinical directors, nephrologists, specialist surgeons and radiologists from Zimbabwe and South Africa attended the kidney transplant conference.
The first kidney transplant was carried out at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in 1992.
An estimated 1 000 new cases of patients with renal failure are diagnosed each year in Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter