More than 100 kidneys have been transplanted to patients suffering from kidney failure at the PG Hospital since 1988, said a kidney surgeon, reports UNB.

"All the transplant cases were operated successfully and most of them passing normal life," said Prof M A Wahab, Head of Urology Department of IPGMR.

"Due to inadequate number of beds and OTs (operation theatres), most of the patients cannot be admitted at the hospital and become frustrated ... either go abroad or wait for death," said Prof Wahab.

"He said about 200 kidney patients come to the out-patient department (OPD) of the PG Hospital twice a week. But only about three per cent of the patients, needing a change to damaged kidney, get treatment at the hospital.

It is difficult to provide medicare facilities to increasing number of kidney patients with only 22 beds and two OTs under the Urology Department at the PG Hospital, the kidney surgeon said.

The patients, who got a new lease of life after the kidney transplants, were between 20-40 years. Kidney is a filtering device of the body as well as of the urine formation organ.

The only kidney transplant centre in the country was set up in 1988 at the PG Hospital.

Each kidney transplant operation cost about Tk 2 lakh, of which the government bears the major share. The patient has to bear about Tk 25,000 for buying some expensive drugs not available in the hospital.

However, the patients family has to arrange the alternative, transferable kidney from their own sources.

Prof Wahab said that of the various types of kidney ailments in the country, kidney-stone cases are the highest with about 40 per cent. Transplant cases are nearly 5 per cent.

As an immediate measure, the number of beds and OTs will have to be increased, he said, adding that it is necessary to set up both Urology departments and kidney transplant units at different medical college hospitals in the country.

At present, only PG Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital have Urology Department, but the DMCH has no kidney transplant unit. However, a private clinic in Dhaka has so far transplanted about eight kidneys.