The Mbagathi hospital is set to start performing kidney transplant procedures next week after being equipped with state of the art theatre equipment.

The inaugural kidney transplant at Mbagathi hospital will be performed next week led by surgeon Rajesh Chaudhary from India, assisted by four Kenyan surgeons.

“We are putting up a programme that will see local Kenyan doctors trained on kidney transplant,” said Dr Rajesh, adding that Dr Chaudhary said the next week’s kidney transplant will also serve as an opportunity to train local doctors.

Nairobi governor Mike Sonko, while announcing the achievement, said it was unfortunate that majority of Kenyans are forced to travel abroad to seek medical attention whenever they have kidney problems.

“It is indeed good news for Kenyans that Mbagathi Hospital can now perform kidney transplants. It is unfortunate that majority of Kenyans with kidney dysfunctions seek transplants abroad, which is costly,” said Governor Sonko.

SONKO BASHED FOR BRINGING INDIAN SURGEON TO TRAIN LOCAL MEDICS ON KIDNEY TRANSPLANT

Worth noting is that the inaugural kidney transplant to be carried out at the Mbagathi will only be the first in the facility but not the first in the county.

The first kidney transplant in Kenya was done at Kenyatta National Hospital in 1978, but it was not until 1988 that the procedure became available on a regular basis,  a fact that made Sonko receive a backlash from medical practitioners for bringing in an Indian surgeon to “train local practitioners on how to perform kidney transplants” when local surgeons have been carrying out the procedure for years.

 “We have surgeons who perform this operation right here in Kenya. This theatrics won’t make our system better. Addressing the real problems facing Mbagathi and workers’ will! We’ve been doing Kidney transplants for a while now. Karibu!” said Ouma Oluga, Secretary-General Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU).

“Why lead surgeons from India yet we have competent Kenyan surgeons (urologists) who have been doing kidney transplants in this country for many years?” said Dr Mercy Korir

The Kenya Renal Association estimates that about 6,000 Kenyans suffer kidney failure annually.