TUTH gives new life to three

Kathmandu, August 14:

The Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital successfully conducted kidney transplant for the first time in the country. It made history by successfully transplanting kidneys of three patients between August 8 and 14.

Among the three patients, Hem Raj Shrestha, 37, of Buddhanilkantha became the first to get his kidney transplanted on August 8. His wife had donated her kidney. Shrestha is stated to be in sound health and is readying to discharge from the hospital.

Shrestha was thrilled after undergoing kidney transplant.

The second transplant was of a lady. On August 10, Satya Laxmi Shrestha of Sankhu underwent kidney transplant. The kidney was donated by her husband Krishna Bahadur Shrestha.

Similarly, the kidney transplant of 23-year-old Gomali Thapa was conducted on August 13.

Gomali’s mother Bimala Thapa, who was diagnosed with kidney failure a year ago, said her daughter would not have got a new lease of life had TUTH not operated on her.

She said they were unable to afford the treatment in India, “I feel like God himself came

in the guise of doctors to save my daughter.”

Within five days of permission from the government, the TUTH began the transplant service.

Prof Dr David Francis, transplant surgeon at Royal Melbourne Hospital and a team of around 200 doctors, including TUTH’s Urological Department chief Prof Dr Bhola Raj Joshi, consultant Nephrologist Dr Dibya Singh Shah and urologist Dr Guna Kumar Shrestha.

Before the TUTH started the service, patients were forced to have kidney transplant abroad at a cost of more than Rs 1 million. “Now the treatment cost in the country is cheaper. It would cost around Rs 250,000-350,000,” said TUTH director Dr Mahesh Khakurel, organising a press conference today.

Dr Khakurel lauded the role of Dr Francis in providing moral and technical support to Nepali doctors to start the service.

The hospital has planned to conduct at least seven more transplants before Dr Francis leaves Nepal.

Dr Francis said the TUTH has best doctors and medical staffs, but its infrastructure needs to be developed.

He said the doctors are capable to conduct surgery even during his absence. Dr Joshi said the government should help expand the TUTH’s infrastructure.

The government should subsidise on the medicine the patients should take after kidney transplant, he added.

Blood test service soon

KATHMANDU: The Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) is all set to

begin blood testing service from next week for the patients who underwent kidney transplant. The test is compulsory for the patients to know the condition of the kidney and see the effect medicine will cause. TUTH director Dr Mahesh Khakurel said the service in the country would benefit the kidney transplant patients, as they were compelled to go to Delhi for the test in the past. Khakurel added that the test would also cost less than in India. — HNS