• Doctors stress the need for expanding the service so that more patients benefit

KATHMANDU: Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital has successfully carried out kidney transplant operations on 506 persons after it started the service a decade ago. TUTH had started kidney transplant service on August 9, 2007. Dr Divya Singh Shah had led the initiative and an Australian doctor Dr David Francis assisted her. Among the patients who underwent kidney transplant, 85 per cent are male and 15 per cent female. Similarly, eight patients were below 15 years of age, while 17 patients died in course of transplantation. Initially, the hospital used to conduct two kidney transplant operations a week. Patients have to go to India for human leukocyte antigen testing before kidney transplant operation as the hospital has not been able to provide this facility due to paucity of funds. Addressing the 10th anniversary of the launch of kidney transplantation service here today, Deputy Prime Minister Upendra Yadav, who also holds the health and population portfolio, said the government would provide required financial assistance and equipment to the hospital. “There is a huge investment of the government in state-run hospitals, but health services there are 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 kidney transplantation service were honoured. Those honoured include Dr Bhola Raj Joshi, Dr Mahesh Khakurel, Dr Kanak Bahadur Raut, Dr Guna Kumar Shrestha, Dr Divya Singh Shah,  Dr Prem Raja Gyawali, Dr Uttam Kumar Sharma, Dr Lokraj Marahatta, Dr David Francis and deputy administrator at the hospital Krishna Dev Panta. On the occasion, nephrologist Dr Shah praised TUTH for launching kidney transplantation service while stressing the need for expanding the service. Dr Uttam Kumar Sharma demanded that a separate centre for kidney transplant be established.