Bhaktapur, June 30

Despite Human Organ Transplant Centre in Bhaktapur performing the first ever successful liver transplant surgery in Nepal almost half a year ago, the hospital is struggling to conduct another such transplant due to lack of resources.

“Due to the lack of human and technical resources, we have not been able to carry out more such transplants, but we hope to perform another transplant soon,” said Dr Dipesh Gurubacharya at the hospital.

“There are altogether three to four liver surgeons throughout the country who are capable of performing liver transplants. Of them, three surgeons are with the HOTC,” he said, adding that initially the doctors should work under direct supervision of experts.

To produce liver transplant surgeons in the country, doctors have to handle at least 20 such cases under direct supervision of an expert, he shared. “Our country can have its own team of expert surgeons for liver transplant if we hire foreign experts for six months,” opined the doctor.

“People prefer to go to foreign countries for treatment in the hope of getting better treatment there. Patients come to our health facility only when they cannot afford treatment abroad, thus limiting our prospect to deal with more transplant cases,” the doctor said.

“Liver transplant cost Rs 2 to 2.5 million in the country which is far cheaper than in foreign countries,” informed Dr Pukar Chandra Shrestha, the executive director at HOTC.

Balaram Naga, 36, from Suryavinayak had undergone the first successful liver transplant surgery at HOTC  in December last year.