Are you planning to do a kidney transplant in Kenya? If yes, you will need to know how much you will spend. Of course, the cost of a kidney transplant in Kenya is far below that in India and South Africa.
How much does a kidney transplant cost in Kenya? A person can do a kidney transplant for as low as Sh300,000 in Kenya. This figure is far lower compared to over Sh1.5 million spent on transplants in India and South Africa.
You might wonder how come the cost is so low in Kenya. This article is here to help, and I will surely provide all the information you need about kidney transplants in the country. Let’s have a look.
When a person suffers from kidney disease, a transplant is usually recommended, especially when it gets serious. Generally, transplants are permanent and even cost less than dialysis. When a patient stays on dialysis for too long, they might have even used up the cost of a transplant.
In many parts of the world where kidney diseases are diagnosed, the doctors refer patients for transplants in two familiar places. Most doctors refer patients suffering from such diseases to India or South Africa, where a kidney transplant is very successful.
These countries are, for a very long time, known as the best places to have a kidney transplant, with the highest success rates. However, you must be ready to spend a fortune if you plan a transplant in South Africa or India.
Excluding the costs of travel and all, the surgery alone is overwhelming. Most of those who go through a kidney transplant in these countries borrow loans to meet up with the surgery and other bills. However, there is a cheaper alternative at the moment.
In Kenya, a patient can undergo a kidney transplant, for as low as Sh300,000, compared to over Sh1.5 million spent in South African and Indian hospitals. Initially, a kidney transplant was very expensive in Kenya and cheaper in India and South Africa; the tables have turned now.
Why have people always chosen India for kidney Transplants?
In the past, people have always avoided Kenyatta and preferred India or South Africa for three significant reasons. First, it was cheaper to buy a kidney from a person unrelated to the patient in India. Then, the cost of kidneys in Kenya was so high that people didn’t even bother going there for transplants.
Also, the cost of transplants in India was much cheaper than in Kenya. Kidney transplants in Kenya cost over Sh2 million; hence they received fewer patients. Patients preferred to visit India, which was very far away, since they would be doing the transplant at a cheaper cost.
Lastly, India has a considerable transplant success rate. At least 80 percent of kidney transplants in India were successful as rejections were minimized, compared to the norms in Kenya. There were fewer successes, which discouraged patients from having transplants in the country.
How is Kenya better than India for kidney transplants?
It might be a little shocking that in just a few years, Kenya has really improved in those areas and is now better than India and South Africa for kidney transplants. First of all, transplant costs have drastically reduced in Kenya, and people are flowing around the world.
Also, the rates of buying kidneys from donors in Kenya are relatively lower than what it was before or how it is in India or South Africa. Now you can buy kidneys from a donor at lesser amounts in Kenya without breaking the bank as it has been initiated.
In addition, the success rates of transplants have improved a lot. Out of all the transplants in Kenya, all have been successful, and they have not recorded a single failure since their inception. There are fewer chances of kidney rejection after transplants as it has been for a while.
Some modern drugs have significantly reduced the chances of rejection after kidney transplants. These drugs are easily obtained from partner medical institutions at low prices. Also, the hospital in Kenyatta boasts a better follow-up when the transplant is done locally than in South Africa or India.
Who should donate a kidney?
When a person needs a kidney transplant, the donor should come from a close relative, although not a must. A kidney coming from a close relative will have a lesser chance of rejection. It can be a first-degree relative like;
Brother and sister
Mother and son or daughter
Father and son or daughter
Also, it can come from second-degree relatives like cousins and the like. Doctors say that kidneys from very close relatives have a 96 percent chance of working well and for a very long time. In most cases, such kidneys serve 20 to 30 years before the recipient loses them.
However, if there are no close relatives to donate to, you can go ahead to purchase kidneys from donors. The doctors will test if there is a match, and if there is, the surgery will proceed. To reduce the chances of rejection, there are modern drugs that will be administered.
Wrapping Up
Instead of traveling all the way to India for kidney transplants, you might want to save costs and even do it in Kenyatta. It is way cheaper there, and the travel costs are also reduced. In some cases where you have to travel with a donor, doctor, or family member, you will spend a lot on travel and transplant costs.
As I mentioned, the success rate in Kenya has really improved, so there are fewer chances of rejection. See this information as an opportunity and make good use of it.
