KATHMANDU: The country has made history in organ transplant by making available kidney transplant services more than a year ago. However, Nepal has a long way to go, for the poor are still suffering. Amidst poor transplant facilities, the country, however, is celebrating World Kidney Day, as always, on the second Thursday of March, to raise awareness on the fact that kidney diseases, though common, are harmful, but treatable.

Dr Rajani Hada, transplant physician and associate professor at the National Academy of Medical Science, said that the government needs to make urine check compulsory for children in schools once a year.

The analysis of urine in the initial phase can prevent more than 80 per cent of renal disease, added Hada. She also recommended having blood pressure and diabetes checked regularly to ward off kidney ailments.

Talking to The Himalayan Times, she said more than 70 per cent of kidney patients in the country are aged between 20 and 60 years and urged the government to waive tax in medicine used in treating kidney patients.

Dr Pukar Chandra Shrestha, transplant and general surgeon, Bir Hospital, said there is no separate operation theatre for the transplant and patients are forced to pay around Rs 65,000 for cross matching before a transplant in India alone. Further, legal provisions in the country allow only immediate family members as donors, excluding those having maternal relations. To ease the difficulty in getting donors, he urged the government to revise the legal provisions so as to include more number of possible donors.

However, he maintained that a mechanism should strictly ensure the authenticity of relation of donors and recipients. He also said that the government should pave the way for accepting organs from cadaveric donors.

He was referring to transplant organs from a donor medically declared dead (brain dead). Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) typing and cross matching facility must be available in the country for cadaveric donor transplant, he added.

Likewise, Dr Keshav Prasad Singh, director, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), said, "With no operation theatre, we are unable to meet our target." He added that they were availing transplant services to one patient a week.

Notably, the first kidney transplant was done in Nepal in 2004 at the Bir Hospital.

However, the service was discontinued and resumed again on August 8, 2008 at the TUTH and in December the same year at the Bir Hospital.Twenty-three transplants have been done at the Bir Hospital, while the number stands at 48 for TUTH till now.

Facts

• Around 10 per cent of the world population is suffering from kidney ailments

• Around 27 lakh Nepalis are suffering from the problem and 2,700 new patients are added every year

• Only 12 kidney specialists are available in the country

• National Kidney Centre recorded 724 kidney patients needing dialysis in 1997/98; the number stands at 21,994 this year