The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria, Kaduna State, has announced its readiness to commence surgeries for kidney transplant in 2025 to provide relief to patients with kidney failure and reduce medical tourism.
The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Ahmed Umdagas revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Zaria.
Umdagas stated that the institution’s Urology Centre of Excellence, which will deliver advanced urology services, is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2025.
“By the first quarter of 2025, ABUTH will commence kidney transplants. What has been holding us back is a few infrastructure upgrades,” he said.
He added that most of the required machines and equipment were already in place, noting also that personnel have been adequately trained to deliver the services.
“Besides that, most of the machines and equipment required for kidney transplants are available, and our personnel have been adequately trained to provide the services,” Umdagas said.
The Chief Medical Director also disclosed that a contract has been awarded for the procurement of linear machines to enhance cancer care at the facility.
Speaking on additional efforts to curb medical tourism, Umdagas highlighted that ABUTH boasts of a fully functional 128 Slice CT Scan machine.
He explained, “If you undergo an investigation abroad requiring the 128 Slice CT Scan, it costs no less than $200, which is over N300,000. Meanwhile, ABUTH charges just N30,000 for the same service.”
