Media Affairs Manager of the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC), Barbara Owusu-Hemeng, has said plans are in place to reduce the cost of kidney transplant at the facility.
This is to help make the cost affordable for the average citizen. The thought follows the Centre’s successful execution of six transplants last month.
Madam Owusu-Hemeng says most of the donors for the first six patients were their close family members or acquaintances, adding that the centre was currently doing only living donor transplants as “we do not currently have a bank for organs”.
She said the average cost of a kidney transplant at the centre was currently $25,000, adding that they were working towards reducing the cost for the average citizen.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre, Dr. Kwame Anim-Boamah, has, meanwhile, lamented the growing number of diabetes and hypertension cases among young persons in the country.
According to him, some of the patients who were treated earlier were either non-compliant or not on any treatment, making it the number one cause of end stage renal disease.
Dr Anim-Boamah was speaking to the Daily Graphic Wednesday, July 03, 2024, when he made the revelation, attributing the increasing cases to abuse of herbal and over the counter medications, among others.
Meanwhile, the Medical Centre is set to perform an additional two kidney transplants this month after successfully performing six similar operations last month. The patients who are all Ghanaians, were made up of two men and four females aged between 25 and 54.
The Head of the Urology Department of UGMC, Dr. Emmanuel Asante, said the procedures were performed seamlessly, explaining that barriers and challenges were overcome by a determined team who made it possible for the procedures to go on smoothly, showcasing the centre’s capabilities in complex surgical interventions and post-operative care.
In a statement, Dr Anim-Boamah said the successful completion of the first set of six kidney transplants underscored the centre’s commitment to pushing boundaries, achieving medical excellence, and improving the lives of patients through cutting-edge interventions and compassionate care.
He said the UGMC looked forward to continuing its mission of advancing healthcare standards and innovative practices in the field of transplantation.
The UGMC is an academic medical centre offering world-class patient care, training and research in Ghana, West Africa and beyond.
