The Head of Nephrology, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Prof Vincent Bioma, has highlighted the alarming rates of kidney diseases among individuals between the ages of 20 and 50 in Ghana.

The professor expressed concern over the impact of this health challenge on Ghana's economically productive segment of society.

“The burden in our part of the world is almost three to four times that of high-income countries. In Africa for instance, the burden is about 15% but in sub-Saharan Africa we have as much as about 14%. In Ghana, the prevalence has been pegged at around 13.1%. So, as you can see compared to the global average of between 12-13%, the burden is high in Africa and high in Ghana as well.

“Sadly enough, this affects our youth most of them between the ages of 20-50 years of age. These represent the economically productive group of society who should be out there working but are being afflicted by this disease,” he lamented.

Highlighting the challenges faced in combating kidney diseases, Professor Bioma emphasized the importance of prevention.

However, he noted that most patients seeking treatment arrive at hospitals during advanced stages of the disease, due to the silent nature of most kidney-related diseases.

Due to this nature, Prof Vincent said that late detection prevents many from seeking early detection and prevention.

“If you think about it carefully, prevention would have been the best thing but what we see mostly in our hospitals is that most of them come very late needing a kidney form of therapy in the forms of dialysis or kidney transplant and this is largely because the disease is very silent. So, you don’t know until it’s very late. And most of them, because they are not sick, when you tell them to go and check, they don’t see the need for them to go and check. Until they keep coming in that state of needing dialysis or kidney transplant,” he added.

Professor Bioma further emphasized that a kidney transplant is the ultimate treatment for chronic disease, offering better long-term survival rates and enhanced quality of life compared to dialysis.

“Between dialysis and kidney transplant, kidney transplant is the ultimate treatment for the development of chronic kidney disease. And thus, it is important, especially for our youth who are afflicted to get transplants," he stated.

The Head of Nephrology again stressed the significant financial advantages kidney transplants have over dialysis.

The Professor also expressed satisfaction with the availability of kidney transplant treatment in Ghana, which has brought hope and improved the lives of young individuals affected by kidney diseases.

“Their survival can be better in the long term because it’s better with transplant compared to dialysis. A transplant is going to put you back at work and increase your quality of life and at the same time make you a better person. It is more convenient for work and schooling as well. Long-term survival is better, and it is more cost-effective.

“Imagine you continue paying dialysis for the next twenty years, compare that cost to paying for a transplant now and see the benefit. So, to say transplant is the best treatment is even understating it. It is the ultimate treatment, and we are happy that this treatment has come to put smiles on the faces of these young people who are afflicted daily by this kidney disease and have been pinned down by the disease and losing time at work. And, not having a good quality of life and not surviving longer in the long term compared to when they have their own native kidneys,” he added.

Background

A team of health professionals at Ghana's Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) successfully performed the country's first-ever kidney transplants.

The local team, consisting of specialist doctors, nurses, and anaesthetists, carried out the procedures on July 4 and 5, 2023.

Both male patients who received the transplants are currently in recovery at the facility, while their female donors have been discharged and are doing well.

To boost confidence in the local team, two foreign experts—a theatre technician and a transplant surgeon—were present during the surgeries.

The estimated cost of each procedure is $21,000, and the surgeries were generously sponsored by First Sky Group, a Ghanaian private company.

The company's support aims to make these life-saving procedures more accessible and affordable to patients who previously had to seek treatment abroad, often costing over $250,000.

During a media briefing, Professor Mathew Kyei, a urologist at KBTH, revealed that the hospital's capacity assessment determined it could perform three kidney transplant surgeries monthly.

Therefore, although six individuals were prepared for surgery, only three will be undertaken next month.

Presently, around 1,000 people across various hospitals in Ghana are reliant on dialysis.

KBTH, with sponsorship from the First Sky Group, supports 250 patients who undergo dialysis three times a week.

Providing an update on the two patients, Professor James Edward Mensah, Head of the Department of Surgery at KBTH, expressed satisfaction with their progress.

He noted that both patients' bodies had responded positively to the transplants.

Within 24 hours of the first surgery, the patient began producing urine, indicating successful alignment with the new kidney.

To ensure ethical practices and avoid legal complications, an ethical committee comprising surgeons, lawyers, and professionals has been established. The committee will develop guidelines for counselling donors and ensure there is no financial coercion involved.

Executive Chairman of the First Sky Group, Eric Seddy Kutortse, highlighted his company's ongoing support for kidney patients.

Since 2016, the group has sponsored dialysis treatments at KBTH, investing approximately GH¢30 million in this cause.

Kutortse mentioned that the group had previously sponsored three patients to undergo kidney transplants in India, costing $250,000 per patient and their respective donors. Due to the high cost, the First Sky Group decided to collaborate with KBTH to conduct local kidney transplants, thereby reducing expenses and expanding access to free kidney transplants.

Furthermore, Mr. Kutortse assured that the First Sky Group would continue offering free dialysis to beneficiaries at KBTH and provide free kidney transplants to eligible individuals meeting the hospital's criteria. The group, in partnership with KBTH, has initiated plans for an ultra-modern kidney transplant centre that will be fully funded by the company.

Discussing the advantages of renal transplant, Professor Vincent Boima, Head of Nephrology at KBTH, revealed that Ghana carried a high burden of kidney diseases within sub-Saharan Africa. The youth, particularly those aged 20 to 50, were the most affected demographic. Prof. Boima emphasized that kidney failure was largely preventable and often caused by lifestyle and environmental factors.

Transplantation offered cost-effective solutions, allowing patients to resume their normal lives.

However, since the procedure could not be performed locally, patients incurred significant expenses travelling abroad with their donors.

The ultimate goal of KBTH is to ensure that no patient has to travel outside the country for a kidney or any other transplant. CEO of KBTH, Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah, acknowledged the facility's highly qualified human resources but mentioned the resource constraints that have led many professionals to seek opportunities abroad.

Dr. Ampomah advocated for the development of a legal framework for organ donation and harvesting to provide a solid foundation for transplantation services. Currently, KBTH imports corneas for transplantation, but a legislative framework would address this issue.

Dr. Ampomah praised the First Sky Group for its unwavering support to KBTH in assisting kidney patients, highlighting that only a few patients could afford the surgery independently.



NW/OGB

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