KARACHI, Oct 5: The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) will continue the unique and challenging task of renal transplantation in children weighing less than 20 kg in future as well, said officials.

A senior doctor said that since the institute had 20-25 children of lesser age and weight needing transplantation, it had been decided that in addition to regular adult transplantation, at least one child of small age and weight would be benefited with state-of-the-art treatment every week.

In its recent endeavours, the paediatric transplant team of the SIUT performed successful transplantation in six children from two to nine years of age. Most of the children, who after treatment at various private sector institutions and finally registered with the SIUT, belonged to Karachi.

Four of the children were donated single kidneys by their mothers, while one was transplanted a kidney from his uncle. Another was transplanted a kidney from his father.

For the first time in Pakistan, the SIUT has taken the initiatives of carrying out transplantation in children weighing less than 20 kg.

Very intense and vigilant monitoring was done by a specialized team and children, who had been discharged from the institute, were progressing as per doctors’ expectations, added the doctor.

All six children, along with their donors, who visited the SIUT a couple of days back for follow-up checkups and medication, were witnessed to be happy and normal.

The donor mother of nine-year old Rubaish coming from Landhi said her daughter was being treated for kidney diseases from the age of one and half, and her kidneys had almost turned non-functional before the surgery.

My child and family have got a new lease of life after the successful transplantation, said the mother, adding that her family found the transplantation at the SIUT not less than a miracle as every service was free of cost.

Another sister of Rubaish will also undergo transplantation soon. This time her father would be the donor, added the mother.

The youngest of the six children in question, Moaaz, a two year old boy from Baloch Colony area, was sipping fruit juice and glowing in a healthy way on his mother’s lap.

So was in the case of Mujtaba, Waqar, Ali Zoheb and Osama, who also reported for follow-up checkups at the SIUT the other day.

Some of the fathers, who had the option to go abroad for treatment, pointed out that after research they, found no other place than the Institute compatible for transplant.

We sifted medical literature and information on the internet for kidney transplantation to our son, but found no institution providing the needed care and service abroad, said a mother doctor.

Speaking about the overall behaviour and response of doctors and other related staff at the SIUT in their cases, a couple of parents said they all were devoted to betterment of humanity. “They pay all attention, despite the fact that no personal or monetary gain is involved and that is highly commendable,” they said.

Some parents noted that since the services and accommodations were free of cost, doctors on their part found no obligation to take care of the management’s policies and interests, unlike private concerns where the staff had to go extra for bringing extra income for their employers in the shape of heavy treatment bills and lengthy procedures.

“We wanted to compensate for some of the amount involved in surgery, but the SIUT managements is not encouraging that, saying funds could be contributed by us only once we approach as a simple donor of philanthropists, and that too at some later stage,” claimed a parent.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Sajid Sultan at the SIUT said there were very few centres in the world carrying out the transplantation in question.

Things needed before carrying out transplantation in less weight children included; first degree blood relative or others with strong family bonds, same blood group or compatible with the children’s group, matching of tissues, and above all a disease-free donor, so that any risk to both the donor and acceptor could be averted, said Dr Sajid.

The kidney transplantation in children was challenging in the sense that doctors had to shift a large size adult kidney from their parent to child, which was more prone to rejection.

However, the procedure was very successfully performed at the SIUT during the last one month and now the children were showing an extremely healthy and robust progress, added the doctor.

According to estimates, a single transplant in private sector in adults costs from Rs500,000 to Rs600,000, with an additional Rs15,000 per month for maintenance, including drugs, while the SIUT is doing all that free of cost, said another doctor.