2 crore suffer from kidney diseases

Health experts have called for amendment of laws on kidney transplantation in order to increase the number of donors in the country as the nation faces more and more kidney patients but there is a shortage of donors.

The estimated number of kidney patients a decade ago was over 80 lakh, but it has now gone up to nearly two crores, Prof Shahidul Islam Selim, chairman of nephrology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), said.

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Patients with kidney failures have two options -- lifelong dialysis or kidney transplantation. While dialysis is very costly, kidney transplantation in the country is also challenging, he said.

A large number of patients go abroad, mostly to India, where the cost of transplants ranges from Tk 20 lakh to Tk 50 lakh. At BSMMU the cost would be only around Tk 1.6 lakh, according to a report by the university.

“It is crucial to change laws or enact new laws to encourage kidney donors,” Prof Shahidul said in his keynote presented during a discussion organised by BSMMU marking 500 kidney transplantations between 1982 and 2016.

Prof MA Wahab, former chairman of the urology department at BSMMU, suggested that existing laws be amended to allow donation of kidneys from brain-dead people.

Brain death is the complete and irreversible loss of brain function. In such conditions, organs like the kidneys of the brain-dead person can be transplanted, he said. 

The Kidney Transplantation Act 1999 allows donation of kidneys by blood-relatives as father, mother, siblings, children, maternal and paternal uncles or aunts and spouses, according to a report prepared by the BSMMU.

“The law should be amended to include grandparents, grandchildren and cousins as donors,” the report says.

Rafiqul Alam, former chairman of BSMMU's nephrology department, pointed out that the Iranian government provides incentives for kidney donation and kidney transplantation is done free of cost there.

People should be convinced that donating one of two good kidneys does not affect the health of the donor, while donating kidneys of the brain dead can save thousands of lives, he said.

Golam Kibria, former professor of urology at BSMMU, cautioned that laws should be framed or amended in a way that checks organ trafficking.

MA Salam, former urology professor at BSMMU, said the law has to be clear that there is no interest between the kidney donor and recipient. The social welfare ministry can play a major role in this aspect, he added.

At the event, BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Kamrul Hassan Khan and pro-VC Shahidullah Shikder declared donating their organs after death.

BSMMU pro-VC Sharfuddin Ahmed, Registrar Ali Asgar Moral, urology professor Sajid Hasan, paediatric nephrology professor Habibur Rahman, Society of Urology President SA Khan also spoke.