Kidney transplantation in a developing economy: challenges and initial report of three cases at Ile Ife.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation (KT) is globally adjudged the best alternative treatment for end stage renal disease (ESRD) in preference to life-long dialysis. This form of therapy was hitherto unavailable in Nigeria until our hospital and a private hospital embarked on a KT programme despite our depressed economy, and inadequate facilities. We present the initial report of KT performed in our hospital and the challenges of KT in our developing society. CASE REPORTS: Three patients with ESRD had living related KT between June 2002 and April 2003. The first patient died with functioning graft six and a half months post transplantation from complications of Diabetes mellitus and sepsis, while the remaining two still enjoy a good quality of life 35 months post transplantation. There were problems with procurement and monitoring of immunosuppressive drugs in the three patients. This report also illustrates the common causes of ESRD in Nigeria and some of the complications of KT. To our knowledge, these are the first reported cases of KT in Nigeria. CONCLUSION: Kidney transplantation is cost effective and offers a good quality of life for ESRD patients. Poverty, inadequate facilities and lack of donors are major problems facing KT in our society. Although KT requires high technical and material resources, with proper training, commitment and adequate funding, it is feasible, safe and cheaper on a long term basis for the management of patients with ESRD in a developing economy like ours. There is a need for government funding of KT programmes in developing countries.