Cape Verde plans 12 kidney transplants
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Expresso das Ilhas
Cape Verde plans six kidney transplants in November at Agostinho Neto Hospital in Praia, followed by six more in December at Baptista de Sousa Hospital in São Vicente. Health Minister Lúcio Fernandes wants to strengthen national expertise, while dialysis costs more than 300 million escudos a year in consumables, reports Expresso das Ilhas.
Cape Verde plans six kidney transplants in November at Agostinho Neto Hospital in Praia and six more in December at Baptista de Sousa Hospital in São Vicente. Health Minister Lúcio Fernandes announced the schedule on Friday on the sidelines of the inauguration of the oncology unit at Baptista de Sousa Hospital, reports Expresso das Ilhas.
The procedures will continue to be carried out with the support of a Portuguese medical team. However, the government wants to gradually strengthen national expertise so that the country can become self-sufficient in carrying out transplants, the minister said.
Cape Verde has already carried out seven kidney transplants since the beginning of the year, including one on 24 March in Praia, three on 15 June in São Vicente and three more on 18 June in Praia. The state spends more than 300,000 contos each year on consumables related to dialysis. Lúcio Fernandes believes that better control of hypertension, diabetes and other chronic diseases could reduce the number of patients with kidney failure.
