KIGALI - Three kidney patients received a new lease of life after receiving kidney transplants at King Faisal Hospital, Kigali (KFH, K), something that has happened for the first time in Rwanda.

According to Dr Martin Sheriff, the Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery Teaching in Kent (MISTIK), a UK based hospital, all the three recipients and their donors are currently recovering extremely well.

The patients and their donors were visited, yesterday, by the Minister of Health, Richard Sezibera, who praised the donors as heroes for saving the lives of others.
Surgery in kidney transplant at KFH,K started after an MoU was signed in July between the Ministry of Health, KFH,K and MISTIK, to support the programme.

Sezibera told reporters that kidney transplanting was a very expensive procedure which would cost in the region of $24,000 if the patient was to be sent to India for the operation.

"The Government has sponsored 19 kidney patients so far to go oversees for the operation, but it has been tough covering all the costs. That is why we are glad to have kidney transplantation here in Kigali,” the minister observed. "We are committed to providing the best healthcare to all Rwandans and ensuring they get it irrespective of their capacity to cover the cost.”

Dr  Joseph Ntarindwa, the head of the Uro-Nephrology Centre at KFH,K, urged Rwandans to respond to the kidney donation programme in order to save the lives of their loved ones.

"Kidney donation is very safe and, when performed under the right procedures, the donor lives a normal life,” Dr. Ntarindwa said.

Dr Sheriff further urged the Government to initiate a financial package for kidney donors in order to encourage them to participate in the programme and avoid the emergence of illegal trade in body parts.
"All around the world, kidneys are being sold on the black market; this is not what we want Rwanda to become in future. Therefore, Government should set up standard procedures through which donors can donate and also be thanked in a special way,” Dr. Sheriff said.

One of the donors, Eric Mutabazi, 21, donated a kidney to his elder brother. Although his brother was still under intensive care, Mutabazi had recovered on Friday and could afford to speak to journalists.

"It’s a good feeling that I gave a part of my body to save my brother’s life and still stay with my life as well,” he said.

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