FMC UMUAHIA CONTINUE BREAKING NEW GROUNDS IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION.
By: Promise Udeh
No country can succeed without citizens trust in local institutions. But the questions are: Do Nigerian elites derive joy in capital flight and medical tourism? What benefits do they deriving from medical tourism and capital flight? Are they ignorant of the groundbreaking capabilities of Nigerian medical professionals?
The travails of former Senate President, Ike Ekweremmadu over his daughter’s kidney dilemma would have been averted if he believed in the efficiency of Nigerian medical professionals as exemplified by prevalent success stories in kidney management at the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Abia State .
On 27th of March, 2023, the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, successfully performed the 11th batch of kidney transplantion on a 68 year old man who suffered from end-stage kidney disease caused by diabetes and hypertension and has been undergoing dialysis at Beatitudes Mediplex and Kidney Centre Umuahia. The kidney transplant programme commenced in December 2017, with surgeries performed in collaboration with University of Toledo Medical Centre, Ohio USA as initiated by the then Medical Director, Dr Chuku Abali. Eleven surgeries have been performed with 80% success rate. Seven of the latter surgeries were performed by indigenous surgeons, hence the programme is no longer dependent on foreign surgeons
The Kidney management programme at FMC Umuahia has received tremendous support under the leadership Prof Azubuike Onyebuchi, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital. Despite challenges which includes: manpower drain, out-of-pocket payment by the patient and need for more equipment for kidney transplant, the hospital have recorded successes in kidney transplantation.
According to Dr Chimezie Okwuonu, the Kidney Transplant Nephrologist, “sustaining kidney transplant in our public institution is not easy but we are determined to continue the surgeries and patient care with the support of the Board and Management of FMC Umuahia which we have”. The Director of Kidney program, Dr Nosike Erondu also called on patients with end-stage renal disease to find a lasting solution with the kidney transplant programme of FMC Umuahia.
It is therefore apt to say that, FMC Umuahia is blazing the trail in kidney management and transplantation in Nigeria. Hence,it is fruitless for Nigerians to embark on countless medical tourisms that contributes nothing to their health and the country’s image.
Clinic days- Every Tuesday by 9am at Kidney Clinic FMC Umuahia
08038896801
07067401758
08037132977
08032327298
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