Health
Nigerian hospitals explore deceased-donor kidney transplant
…As cases rise amid low living donation
With kidney failure on the rise in Nigeria, hospitals are exploring the deceased-donor transplant option as organ donation, which is often transactional, from living donors remains low.
They are pushing for a highly regulated cadaveric system to take root as the primary source of kidney transplantation, a process where people can offer their organs for the use of others after they have been certified dead.
Health facilities with the capacity for renal care are recording increases in late presentation of cases which may lead to permanent placement on dialysis treatment or transplantation.
BusinessDay’s findings show that a new dialysis unit, which opened only a few months ago at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), is currently oversubscribed due to a plethora of kidney problems.
At the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Meta, cases seeking dialysis daily are on the rise, especially among young people and those challenged by long-standing cases of hypertension, diabetes, or inflammation of the kidney.
Almost two in every 10 Nigerian adults suffer either chronic or acute kidney failure, according to the Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN).
Dialysis has remained the most common and accessible form of treatment in the country, even though many do not make it through either as a result of financial constraints or deterioration of their condition. Only a few well-heeled patients are able to get kidney donation in a process that some experts worry could have been induced by financial rewards.
Experts say there is a wave of cadaveric organ donation being explored across the world, and Nigeria can benefit from it.
Adetokunbo Fabamwo, LASUTH’s chief medical director, said in an interview that while the laws that guide the process are currently being pushed at the Lagos State House of Assembly for ratification, the hospital is also building structures to begin trials.
“We have already designed how we are going to do it. We are going to keep a register of people that need kidneys and another register of those that want to donate. We will set up a unit that is going to manage it. We can do it,” the director said.
“The challenge about transplant is the donor. A lot of relations do not like to donate to their relatives. So they are looking for commercial donors. We don’t encourage that. If you are going to have a transplant in LASUTH, you must bring a relative who will consent to donate. Nigeria should have very strict regulations about donation.”
He explained that through the system, people before they die, if suffering from some other fatal illnesses that do not affect their kidney, could sign up for donation. Immediately after they die, the kidney can be removed for someone who has been waiting for a kidney, he said.
Olugbenga Awobusuyi, president-elect of NAN and the Transplant Society of Nigeria, similarly explained that the primary donor source in advanced countries has shifted to organs from deceased individuals.
According to him, the organs used are those from people who die in the hospital, mostly those in the intensive care unit and are being maintained on life support.
“Their brains can die but because they are on life support, we are able to assist the breathing and beating of the heart of the dead person. We can sustain the function of other organs, even though the brain is dead,” the nephrology expert said.
“We believe that if we can have such a programme in the country, it is going to benefit society a lot, in that people don’t have to buy organs. Organs from dead people are highly regulated strictly by established criteria.”
For instance, in the United States, hospitals are required to have written agreements with organisations that coordinate organ and tissue donation and recovery. There are 58 organ procurement organisations, according to the US Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention.
For screening and testing, organ and tissue recovery organisations are required to obtain a medical and social history of deceased donors by asking their next-of-kin, and sometimes other persons who knew the potential donor, questions about behaviours that may have exposed the potential donor to certain diseases. This questionnaire serves as one of several resources to assess the donor’s risk for having a disease.
Hospitals are required to evaluate living potential kidney donors for the presence of behaviours or medical history that may increase the risk of infection in the donor.
Read also: Police rescue kidnapped Italian priest in Edo
Hospitals that perform organ recovery from kidney donors are also required to perform certain tests to see if the potential donor may have infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus, syphilis, and cytomegalovirus. These test results are provided to the healthcare facility where transplantation of the organ or tissue will occur.
Awobusuyi said NAN had been pushing the adoption across the country, with Lagos State leading the charge.
Drivers of kidney failure
Fabamwo lamented that many are drinking different sorts of toxic concoctions that are being sold by traditional vendors, without minding the toll it takes on their health.
He listed the abuse of some medications, hypertension, and diabetes as some of the commonest causes of kidney failure, saying people are not checking their blood pressure and sugar levels until the kidneys are affected.
Olamide Olowoyo, consultant nephrologist and head of Nephrology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Medical Centre Ebute-Metta, said the prevalence of chronic kidney disease now ranges between 11 and about 15 percent.
According to him, unlike what happens in other countries where it is mainly elderly people who suffer chronic kidney failure, “in Nigeria, we tend to have a younger population who are the economically productive population. Ours is a bit worse”.
She said the inflammation of the kidney, HIV, hereditary kidney diseases, toxic concoction and obstruction of the urinary tract are also drivers.
Olowoyo said one of her patients, a security officer, who should get routine dialysis every week only appears twice due to lack of funds.
The Oyo State Ministry of Health has closed two hospitals in Saki West Local Government Area following a suspected outbreak of Lassa fever, which has claimed four lives.
The fatalities, confirmed by the Oyo State Rapid Response Team (RRT), include three males and a 32-year-old female who was preparing for her wedding. The closure of the hospitals aims to contain the spread of the disease and ensure thorough decontamination.
In a press statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, revealed that the RRT was dispatched to Saki following distress calls from residents reporting mysterious deaths.
Findings and Immediate Actions
The RRT, comprising health officials, representatives from WHO and the Red Cross, and local health authorities, conducted a comprehensive investigation into the outbreak.
Preliminary findings suggest that an apprentice at one of the affected hospitals, who had recently returned from Iwajowa Local Government Area, might have introduced the infection.
The team disclosed that the deceased exhibited symptoms consistent with Lassa fever, such as craniofacial bleeding. The hospital owner, who was among the deceased, initially self-medicated with antimalarials and antibiotics before seeking hospital care when his condition worsened.
Containment Measures
Both the hospital where the fatalities occurred and the facility that admitted the hospital owner were shut down for decontamination.
Contact tracing efforts are ongoing, focusing on high-risk individuals who had contact with the deceased during their illness or burial.
Affected health workers were trained on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, and public awareness campaigns were conducted to educate residents about Lassa fever.
Samples have been collected from a symptomatic individual, pending laboratory confirmation. Line-listing of contacts is underway to identify potential cases and prevent further spread.
Collaborative Efforts
The RRT also paid an advocacy visit to the Okere of Saki’s palace to brief traditional authorities on the situation. Local government officials in Saki West were engaged to coordinate containment strategies.
Reports indicate that while the outbreak initially affected Saki West, it has extended to Iwajowa and Kajola Local Government Areas.
Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) in the affected LGAs have been instructed to commence preliminary containment measures as the State RRT ramps up its response.
Call for Vigilance
The Ministry of Health has urged residents to remain vigilant, report any symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever, and adhere to preventive measures.
These include proper hygiene practices, avoiding contact with rodents, and seeking medical attention promptly if symptoms arise.
A member representing Ibarapa East/Ido federal constituency of Oyo State at the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has announced a plan to launch a “Mobile Clinic” programme aimed at providing essential healthcare services directly to rural communities across the constituency.
Scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025, this initiative underscores Oseni’s commitment to expanding healthcare access, particularly for underserved populations.
Speaking on Saturday at the 10th-anniversary celebration of God’s Knot Hospital in Ologuneru, Ibadan, the lawmaker, who also chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), highlighted the programme’s primary objective: bringing healthcare closer to the people.
“Every community deserves attention; healthcare should never be bound by geographical barriers,” Oseni stated.
He explained that the mobile clinics would deliver essential health check-ups, screenings, and preventive care in remote areas, allowing residents to access quality healthcare without traveling long distances.
As part of his broader healthcare agenda, Oseni informed, through a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, that he has already facilitated the construction of two fully equipped maternity centers within his constituency, both slated for commissioning before December 2024. He also disclosed plans to establish two modern general hospitals in 2025, further strengthening his commitment to building a healthier community.
The lawmaker expressed interest in collaborating with God’s Knot Hospital on the mobile clinic project, calling for partnerships to support sustainable healthcare initiatives that enhance the quality of life for vulnerable populations in the constituency.
“I resonate deeply with the mission of God’s Knot Hospital,” Oseni shared, adding that such partnerships would significantly improve healthcare in Oyo State”.
The anniversary event attracted distinguished guests, including former Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, whom Oseni commended for his contributions to healthcare, particularly through the Mother and Child Hospitals that transformed maternal and child healthcare in Ondo State.
Oseni urged philanthropists, government bodies, and international organizations to support healthcare projects like the upcoming mobile clinics, emphasising that the improvement of healthcare services is a shared responsibility.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered the immediate closure of the Gomboru drug market in Maiduguri following severe flooding that submerged the area and contaminated the drugs sold within the market.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, NAFDAC disclosed that the decision was made after reports surfaced that contaminated drugs, which had been washed and sun-dried for resale, were being sold at the market.
“After the recent flooding in Maiduguri that submerged the Gomboru drug market where contaminated drugs were washed and sun-dried for resale, the @DGatNAFDAC ordered the immediate closure of the market to conduct a thorough shop-to-shop removal of these compromised drugs,” the agency wrote.
The flooding, which ravaged Maiduguri, was triggered by the rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the city.
The floodwaters claimed at least 30 lives and displaced 400,000 residents, leaving large parts of the city and surrounding areas in devastation.
NAFDAC’s intervention is aimed at safeguarding public health by preventing the sale and consumption of contaminated drugs.
The agency has mobilized teams to inspect the market and ensure the removal of all compromised pharmaceutical products.
-
Metro1 day agoGrim Friday: Man, Wife, Grandson Perish in Ibadan Fire
-
News3 days ago
Bank Robberies Now History in Lagos Since 2014 – IGP
-
Crime & Court3 days ago
Human Rights Lawyer, Dele Farotimi, Granted ₦30m Bail
-
News1 day ago
NNPCL Refutes Shutdown Claims: Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational
