Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) records successful kidney transplants, following trail blazed by Delta University Teaching Hospital in January.
The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) is in a celebratorial mood as the hospital recently performed two successful kidney transplants. This records another milestone in the nation's health attention-starved sector bedevilled with a myriad of problems.
Addressing news men at a recent media event, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Chris Bode described the success as another feat in the nation's health sector. He also disclosed that in a few weeks from now, the hospital will conduct similar surgeries and that the university plans to have it done subsequently at subsidised rates.
He said, "To make sure that all patients who are willing to have their surgeries done in LUTH benefit from this feat, and also ensuring that people will have confidence in the hospital in the area of kidney transplant, the surgery which was ordinarily supposed to cost about N6.5millon was done for N3.5millon.
Rather than travelling long distances to have them accessed, we have a team of nephrologists who have been taking care of the patients and will continue to take care of them even after they are discharged,” Bode said.
He added: “The long term plan of the hospital is to have the surgery done regularly, until it becomes a routine surgery such that within a short period of time once a patient is ready with the donor, we can plan a surgery and have it done in a short while. As for now, we are already working on the next set of patients who are going to have their surgery done in few weeks."
Similar to the epoch-making transplant recorded in DELSUTH, the transplant was done in collaboration with expatriates. However, the Chairman maintained that the expatriates had nothing more than supervisory roles all through the process.
Mr. Azubuike Uchendu and Mrs.Abdullahi Fodullilahi, noted that their symptoms started years ago with headaches, and body pain, and swollen legs. But after several months of lingering illness, they were directed to LUTH and were later diagnosed of having kidney disease.osed of having kidney disease.
They advised Nigerans with similar situations to patronise the hospital instead of travelling abroad for their treatment as LUTH is capable and cheaper.