Over 2000 wait for kidney transplants in Gauteng

At least 2096 Gauteng patients are awaiting kidney transplants at two state hospitals, the province’s health MEC said.

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Durban - At least 2096 patients in Gauteng are awaiting kidney transplants at its provincial hospitals, the province’s health MEC Qedani Mahlangu has revealed.

According to a response to written questions submitted by the Democratic Alliance’s health spokesperson and made public on Monday, there are 2096 people awaiting kidney transplants at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria and at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

In the last three years only 48 kidney transplants were done.

Mahlangu said that waiting times for kidney transplants were dependent on the availability of organ donors and that the department had implemented a public awareness campaign regarding organ donations.

She also revealed in her answers that 11 people were awaiting liver transplants and 179 were awaiting cornea transplants.

There had been 79 liver transplant operations carried out at Steve Biko and Charlotte Maxeke academic hospitals in the last three years.

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Heath Jack Bloom said: “It is tragic that many patients will die before a suitable transplant is found for them. Our hospitals do good transplant work, but more effort is needed to get extra donors, especially for kidneys where the need is greatest.”

ANA

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