8-year old Anis Yusuf from Wajir county is the youngest person in the country to undergo a successful kidney transplant.
The operation took place at the Mediheal hospital in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county and lasted 5hrs after Yusuf’s 21-year old relative donated one of his kidneys.
Anis developed a kidney problem in 2019 according to the chief anesthesiologist, Dr. Mathawale Vaijamath.
He was diagnosed with kidney stones and his parents had sought medical attention both locally and internationally.
Dr. Vaijamath said that the surgery was risky but worth it as the kidney stones would have spread to the other kidney.
“For this kid, the stones were the primary cause. So they had to come for regular checkups so that the stone does not damage the second kidney,” he stated.
On the other hand Dr. Sananjabag said it was a significant step but the minor would have to take drugs all his life.
“This transplant in children is a very complex surgery. The complexities are in terms of many things. There is a high chance of a recurrence of the basic disease, high chance of rejection and complications. The body will try to reject and to prevent this rejection, we have given medication that will help the body defense system to kill it,” he stated.
Yusuf will be discharged from hospital after five days so that he can recover from home.
RELATED STORY: Â Pork In Human Body! US Surgeons Successfully Transplant Pig Kidney To Human
