OAUTH Claims First Kidney Transplant

The Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, yesterday in Lagos said it was the first teaching hospital  to perform a kidney transplant in Nigeria, in 2002.

A statement by Olu Bello, a deputy director, on behalf of the hospital, said it was surprised by media reports last week attributing the first kidney transplant in Nigeria to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

“The OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, was the first teaching hospital in Nigeria to carry out an indigenous kidney transplant in June, 2002.

It said the hospital had performed its ninth kidney transplant in June, this year.

“The ninth kidney transplant was performed in OAUTHC on Monday, June 20, 2011. “In fact, kidney transplantation has now become a routine procedure for us in OAUTHC,” the statement added.

Our correspondent reports that the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) carried out its first kidney transplant on Wednesday July 27, 2011, while the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital had performed one in September, 2010.