FMC Umuahia Transplant Team

15/02/2024

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Ijeoma Chijioke, Emmanuel Azubuike, Ngozi Obiayi, Pretty Johnson, Mhiz Faith, Uzoma Angela Uwaefule, Uche Nwachukwu

22/04/2023

Today I received the 130th phone call and enquiry for Kidney Transplantation in 28 days of performing the last session at FMC Umuahia. This is aside calls to other members of the team. Within this period has been 11 referrals with 3 approved for the next batch of Kidney Transplantation already. Our selection criteria, as reflected in our transplant policy, helps us offer this treatment to the most suitable patient among the kidney disease population. With the support of our Medical Director, Prof Azubuike Onyebuchi, we believe we are on the path to become centre of excellence for kidney transplantion in Nigerian public sector.

Our clinic days are Tuesdays 9am at Kidney clinic FMC Umuahia. Phone numbers to call are
07067401758
08037132977
08038896801

*Dr Chimezie Okwuonu*
MBBS, PhD, FWACP
Nephrologist

01/04/2023

27th March 2023, the 11th session of kidney transplant surgeries done. Gloria in Excelsis Deo

16/03/2022

The Pathologist play a critical role in kidney transplantation. While the haematologist is valuable in tissue typing and cross matching prior to transplant, the histo pathologist helps in interpretation of renal histology slides and defining pattern of injury. This pattern of injury has implication in deciding the kind of treatment to give, for example, when there is a rejection.

02/03/2022

The transplant pharmacist plays a critical role in ensuring availability of key medications needed for a transplant process. Induction medications, maintenance and prophylactic medicines are all needed to ensure a seamless surgical and post surgical management.

Meet Pharm Ijeoma Onyebuchi, one of our Kidney transplant pharmacist.

14/12/2021

Pictures from our Kidney transplant symposium on Tuesday 14th December 2021

07/12/2021

Happy four year kidney transplant anniversary. Despite our challenges, we still wax strong. 80% survival of patients after 3 years of kidney transplant is not different from what is obtained in western countries. The team is more than ever motivated to do more.
Congratulations

17/11/2021

07/10/2021

We mourn the exit of our transplant Cardiologist, Dr O.J Ukpabi. May God console all

17/07/2021

Kidney transplantation is about team work, attention to details, time lines, knowledge, sacrifice and patients. These virtues are invaluable.
The FMC Umuahia transplant team is committed to these team work and values to improve care for our patients.

15/07/2021

What are the advantages of kidney transplantation over Dialysis. These include

1. Cost effectiveness: After the first two years of kidney transplantation, monthly cost of post transplant care (less than N50,000) is far less than Harmodialysis (N360,000 @ 30,000 per session, 3 times a week for 4 weeks)

2. Better quality of life: There is restoration of ability to sleep well, reason well and have a better sexual life after kidney transplantation. No more regular injections for blood or blood transfusion.

3. Gain of economic hours: During dialysis, patients spends average of 5hrs per visit and up to 3 visits per week in the hospital. Added to the time spent on traveling, an average of 6 to 8 hrs economic hours is lost. As kidney disease mainly affects the economically productive age group in Nigeria, this is a huge economic loss.
In addition, the same time is lost for an accompanying person or persons.

4. Return of fertility: While there are reports of loss if libido in men and absence if menstruation in most female with end-stage kidney disease & on dialysis, there is return of fertility after kidney transplantation. In fact, family planning is one of the advice given to females of reproductive age after a kidney transplant.

5. Survival: Kidney transplant improves survival far more than dialysis for a patient with end-stage kidney disease. For a typical patient with end-stage kidney failure, studies have shown that 5 year survival on dialysis is about 40% while 5 year survival after kidney transplantation is about 80%. Main causes of death in dialysis include heart problems and under dialysis, the latter been a leading cause of death in Nigeria. After kidney transplantation, with a functioning kidney, the burden of heart disease is lower.

So, with these five reasons, I think it is better to do a kidney transplantation than stay long on dialysis. Cost effectiveness, improved survival and quality of life stand out easily as the outstanding advantages of kidney transplantation over dialysis.
This is especially so in the Nigerian setting.

Dr Chimezie Godswill Okwuonu
Nephrologist
FMC Umuahia Kidney transplant program.

13/07/2021

The Cardiologist plays an important role in kidney transplantation. Most patient with kidney failure die of cardiovascular disease than the kidney problem itself. Also, fitness for surgery is important to reduce morbidity and mortality. In the post transplant period, control of hypertension, cholesterol problems and some other cardiac issues becomes obvious in other to avoid loss of the transplanted organ.

In FMC Umuahia, our cardiologist is knowledgeable, available and painstaking in discharge of duties. Working as a team, our overall objective is to have a very successful surgery, good patient outcomes and excellent survival in the short and long term period.