TUTH completes a decade of kidney transplantation service

Kathmandu, Aug 8  The Tribhuvan University, Institute of Medicine, Teaching Hospital (TUTH) has successfully carried out kidney transplantation operation on 506 persons in a decade since starting the service.
TUTH had started this service for the first time in the country on August 9, 2007. Dr Divya Singh Shah had led the initiative. An Australian doctor Prof Dr David Francis had assisted Dr Shah.
Among the beneficiaries, 85 per cent are male and 15 per cent female. Similarly, eight patients undergoing kidney transplantation are below 15 years of age. Seventeen people have died in course of the transplantation.
Initially, the hospital used to carry out two transplantations in a week. Patients have to go to India for the HLA required for undergoing kidney transplantation as the hospital has not been able to provide this facility due to paucity of funds.
Addressing the 10th anniversary function of the start of kidney transplantation service by the hospital here today, Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav, who also holds the Health and Population Ministry portfolio, said that the government would provide the required financial assistance and equipment to the hospital.
“There is a big state investment in the government hospitals but the health service there is not effective and satisfactory,” he said, adding that the government is committed to guaranteeing the fundamental rights of the people to basic health services.
On the occasion, doctors and nurses who have contributed to the kidney transplantation service were honoured.
The honoured include Prof Dr Bhola Raj Joshi, Prof Dr Mahesh Khakurel, Prof Dr Kanak Bahadur Raut, Prof Dr Guna Kumar Shrestha, Prof Dr Dibya Singh Shah, Prof Dr Prem Raja Gyawali, Prof Dr Uttam Kumar Sharma, Prof Dr Lokraj Marahatta, Prof Dr David Francis and deputy administrator Krishna Dev Panta.
On the occasion, nephrologist Prof Dr Shah praised the TUTH for launching kidney transplantation service while stressing the need for increasing its capacity for expansion of the service.
Another nephrologist Prof Dr Uttam Kumar Sharma demanded that a separate centre for kidney transplant be established.
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