Immanuel Gitan, a Kenyan national is suffering from Male Lupus, a complication that does not allow any kidney in the body to survive. He has been operated upon thrice but to survive, he requires drugs for his whole life. What’s worse, he ran out of money while being treated at the Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre (IKDRC) at city’s Civil Hospital. He is asking the hospital to provide him free drug for his lifetime. With Chronic Renal Failure problem, he had to stay back at the hospital for nine months.
Peter Mikia, another Kenyan national currently undergoing treatment at IKDRC is a freelance journalist by profession. He opted Civil Hospital for kidney transplantation because of the affordable price but having spent close to Rs 6 lakh in last three months, he is worried now as he is yet to go through the operation.
Immanuel and Peter are examples of patients from African countries, especially Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria, who are thronging Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital in large numbers, finding it a relatively cheaper option over hospitals in Johannesberg. Last year alone, 29 such patients got treated here as against a total 231 patients who had their kidney transplanted here. While their number is increasing, the hospital authorities are facing the challenge of managing these foreign patients.
As their countries lack proper drugs and experts, a proper follow-up becomes impossible once they get back. This leads to the disease to continue despite their having undergone extensive treatment at the hospital. Also, many come here with larger complications than just kidney failure. Hospital authorities say that diseases like malnutrition and lever failure are common. Also, being black, their immune system is different from that of a white or Indian, making their cases different, the authorities say.
“Kidney Institute has been drawing patients from African countries in large numbers, thanks to cheaper and quality care we provide them. But curing them is a challenging task. Even if they are operated upon successfully, they do not manage to have a decent follow-up of their disease back home, which takes them back to their earlier situation. Many added health problems that they come with pose as extra challenge before us,’’ says H L Trivedi, reputed renal expert and director of the institute.
Recently, a patient from Nigeria, who had his son’s kidney transplanted on him, came back to the Institute as his transplanted kidney failed again due to unavailability of the right drug in his country. “Many are not able to tolerate drugs that we prescribe, many even get psychological complications. So, apart from transplantation, we also have to make an extra effort at their mental management,’’ Trivedi says. “A large number of patients who approach us from these countries are HIV positive. But we do not allow them, as we cannot handle such cases,’’ he adds.
COurtesy : Expressindia.com
Peter Mikia, another Kenyan national currently undergoing treatment at IKDRC is a freelance journalist by profession. He opted Civil Hospital for kidney transplantation because of the affordable price but having spent close to Rs 6 lakh in last three months, he is worried now as he is yet to go through the operation.
Immanuel and Peter are examples of patients from African countries, especially Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria, who are thronging Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital in large numbers, finding it a relatively cheaper option over hospitals in Johannesberg. Last year alone, 29 such patients got treated here as against a total 231 patients who had their kidney transplanted here. While their number is increasing, the hospital authorities are facing the challenge of managing these foreign patients.
As their countries lack proper drugs and experts, a proper follow-up becomes impossible once they get back. This leads to the disease to continue despite their having undergone extensive treatment at the hospital. Also, many come here with larger complications than just kidney failure. Hospital authorities say that diseases like malnutrition and lever failure are common. Also, being black, their immune system is different from that of a white or Indian, making their cases different, the authorities say.
“Kidney Institute has been drawing patients from African countries in large numbers, thanks to cheaper and quality care we provide them. But curing them is a challenging task. Even if they are operated upon successfully, they do not manage to have a decent follow-up of their disease back home, which takes them back to their earlier situation. Many added health problems that they come with pose as extra challenge before us,’’ says H L Trivedi, reputed renal expert and director of the institute.
Recently, a patient from Nigeria, who had his son’s kidney transplanted on him, came back to the Institute as his transplanted kidney failed again due to unavailability of the right drug in his country. “Many are not able to tolerate drugs that we prescribe, many even get psychological complications. So, apart from transplantation, we also have to make an extra effort at their mental management,’’ Trivedi says. “A large number of patients who approach us from these countries are HIV positive. But we do not allow them, as we cannot handle such cases,’’ he adds.
COurtesy : Expressindia.com