Kenya Faces Critical Organ Shortage As it Celebrates World Transplant Day
Beyond kidney transplants, an estimated 75,000 people in Kenya need corneal transplants, with over 1,000 documented patients on waiting lists across various eye hospitals
Dr. Philip Kirwa, CEO of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH)
As the world commemorates World Transplant Day, Kenya continues to grapple with a significant shortage of transplant organs, particularly corneas.
Dr. Philip Kirwa, CEO of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), has highlighted that the hospital, the only public facility in Kenya performing corneal transplants, is compelled to import corneas from the United States. Unfortunately, these imported corneas often do not meet the desired quality standards.
“Our people need to learn the importance of donating their organs,” Dr. Kirwa emphasized. “We are forced to import corneas from elderly donors in the USA, and more often than not, these organs are of lower quality compared to what we would have if sourced locally.”
Dr. Kirwa also addressed cultural barriers, noting, “Our people still hold to their cultural beliefs that one has to be buried with all their organs intact. We wish to assure them that one can continue to live even after death if they donate their organs.” He added that a single organ could be transplanted multiple times and could benefit patients for over 200 years.
Harry Kimtai, Principal Secretary Ministry of Health and State Department for Medical Services, represented at the event by Dr. Rebecca Kiptui Deputy Director General MOH, stated that the Ministry of Health and the Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Service are working towards developing comprehensive policies and guidelines. These policies aim to ensure quality and ethical practices while safeguarding the rights and well-being of donors, recipients, families, and communities.
“The Kenyan government’s commitment remains resolute in creating an environment that enforces good governance and supports effective and efficient regulation of organ donation and transplant in the country,this will curb cases of human trafficking ” he said.
From 2012 to 2023, Kenya conducted one thousand kidney transplants. In 2021, only 160 kidney transplants were performed despite 5,700 patients being on hemodialysis, resulting in a transplant conversion rate of 2.8%, compared to a global rate of approximately 10%.
Beyond kidney transplants, an estimated 75,000 people in Kenya need corneal transplants, with over 1,000 documented patients on waiting lists across various eye hospitals. In 2023, about 600 corneal transplant surgeries were successfully conducted in Kenya. However, the facilities performing these surgeries are unable to meet the patient demand due to the limited number of tissues procured.
Out of Kenya’s population of over fifty million, studies indicate that approximately 5 million people suffer from some form of chronic kidney disease, with a significant proportion expected to progress to kidney failure. Specifically, about 12,500 patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) require renal replacement therapy, including kidney transplants.
By October 2023, 8,300 patients (approximately 50% of estimated ESKD patients) were undergoing chronic hemodialysis treatments. Despite the preference for dialysis among kidney patients due to various factors, the number of transplants remains notably low. Dr. Maurice Wakwabubi, CEO of the Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Service (KBTTS), observed that 12,000 patients in the country are on dialysis, with at least 5,000 of them awaiting kidney transplants. Dr. Wakwabubi emphasized the need to create more public awareness to encourage Kenyans to donate their organs to save lives.
Donors have urged the government to address the substantial expenses involved in transplant and post-transplant care. They hope the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF)will alleviate some of these challenges, which have led to the deaths of tissue transplant patients.
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