KIGALI - After the launch of the Rwanda Uro-Nephrology Centre at King Faisal Hospital, Kigali (KFH-K), the centre is now set to deliver total care to patients with kidney diseases and other related organs.

The hospital is planning to carry out the first kidney transplants before the end of this year, according to Dr. Joseph Ntarindwa, the head of the centre at the Kigali-based hospital.

"We pledge to do more, we are planning to do the first renal or kidney transplants in this hospital (KFH), God willing before the end of this year,” he said.

He added that, they have close to 10 patients on peritoneal dialysis who cannot afford to go abroad for kidney transplants, since the exercise in India costs $ 25,000.

"We are marshalling the required equipment and reagents, we are creating multidisciplinary teams for that purpose and we shall be doing the necessary training to make this possible,” he explained.

"Contacts have been made through our High Commission in London and the Mufti of Rwanda Swalleh Habimana, who connected us to the Islamic Hand for Experts in Guy’s Hospital, London to help us do the renal transplants and build our capacity so that were can be able to perform the transplants ourselves in the near future,” he said.

He added that, two doctors from Guy’s Hospital visited KFH and gave them "a little bit of advice and encouragement” and as well expressed willingness to come and assist them carry out the operations.

"When they went back, another clinical scientist came to visit our laboratory capacity and agreed to do some further training for us, including training the surgeons,” Ntarindwa stressed.

He said that another expert in kidney transplants, Dr. Jeff Coughman, also accepted to be part of this programme.

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