Fwd: Kidney Transplantation Established in Ethiopia from American Journal of Transplantation May 2018 edition
Aklilu Yishak
From: Aklilu Yishak <Aklilu...@kp.org>
Date: May 17, 2018 at 9:30:27 AM EDT
To: Gezahegn G Jifar <Gezahegn...@kp.org>, Yodit B Benalfew <Yodit.B....@kp.org>, Isaias Tesfazion <Isaias.T...@kp.org>, Samuel A Semegn <Samuel...@kp.org>, "Mulugeta X. Gebreegzi" <Mulugeta....@kp.org>, "Negash X. Ayele" <Negash....@kp.org>, "ELI.HARVEY (GENEXSERVICES.COM)" <ELI.H...@GENEXSERVICES.COM>, "elizabeth.f...@kp.org" <qadepa...@KaiserPermanente.onmicrosoft.com>, Biruk Aklilu <Biruk....@kp.org>, Elizabeth Biru <Elizabe...@kp.org>
Subject: FW: Kidney Transplantation Established in Ethiopia from American Journal of Transplantation May 2018 edition
FYI.
As of this month, 82 patients have received kidney transplant at St Paul’s hospital.
Aklilu
Aklilu A. Yishak, MD, MPH
Nephrologist and Specialist in Clinical Hypertension
Renal Transplant Lead for Mid-Atlantic region
Chair Kidney/Pancreas Transplant, KP National Transplant Services (NTS)
Nephrology
Tysons Corner Medical Center
8008 Westpark Dr,
McLean, VA 22102
Office: (703) 287-6400
Fax: (703) 2876551
From: Aklilu Yishak
Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2018 4:24 PM
To: 'hamelmal gebeyehu' <hamege...@gmail.com>
Cc: 'berhanu worku' <drbir...@gmail.com>; 'Fasika Tedla' <Fasika...@downstate.edu>; 'Punch, Jeffrey (Jeff)' <jpu...@med.umich.edu>; 'Wubshet Jote' <wubs...@gmail.com>; 'Leichtman, Alan' <ale...@med.umich.edu>; 'lejahamza' <leja...@yahoo.com>; 'seyfe michael' <gets...@gmail.com>; 'LINA MOHAMMED' <lina...@gmail.com>; 'moniem ibrahim' <moniemi...@hotmail.com>; 'MominaAhmed' <nila...@gmail.com>; 'Woodside, Kenneth (Ken)' <wood...@med.umich.edu>; 'engid...@yahoo.com' <engid...@yahoo.com>; 'mahtemebekele' <mahtem...@gmail.com>; 'Mekdim Tadesse' <mekd...@yahoo.com>; 'mer...@gmail.com' <mer...@gmail.com>; 'Teklebirhan Berhe' <tek...@yahoo.com>; 'Mamo Negussie' <sata...@gmail.com>; 'Ayelech Agune' <Ayuk...@gmail.com>; Ayoub, Isabelle <Isabell...@osumc.edu>; mer...@gmail.com
Subject: Kidney Transplantation Established in Ethiopia from AJT May 2018 edition
Congrats Jeff & team!
Kidney Transplantation Established in Ethiopia
Medical missions have traditionally relied on physicians and surgeons who volunteer to travel to countries that are far behind the U.S. in medical services. They serve for a period of weeks, and a surgeon might perform half a dozen or a dozen operations. “In actuality, however, the need is so much greater than that, and it is better if we can help them to help themselves,” says Jeffrey D. Punch, MD, professor of medicine at University of Michigan (UM) in Ann Arbor. It is in this spirit that UM Transplant has spent the last several years helping to create the first transplant center in the northeastern African country of Ethiopia.
Dr. Punch and colleagues partnered with Ethiopia because, having successfully eradicated most communicable diseases, the country was ready to face the burden of kidney failure. Ethiopia lacked a transplant program, however, and patients with end‐stage renal disease were forced to travel elsewhere to receive their transplant. It was clear that when such patients returned home, they did well and were able to retain their graft. This served as “proof of concept” to Dr. Punch and others that Ethiopia could sustain a transplant program.
As Dr. Punch points out, Ethiopians value big families, so their birth rates have not fallen over the past decades. These large families contain many potential living donors. However, within these close‐knit groups, one member's kidney failure affects the entire family. In Ethiopia, the high expense of weekly dialysis often means that families have to sell their house to make the payments. “When you transplant one patient, the whole family is better off,” Dr. Punch says.
The Ethiopia transplant project is slated to be fully established by the end of 2018. The first patient is now two years out from transplant and is doing well, and the center has transplanted a total of 66 patients with excellent results. The project aims to train four surgeons. To accomplish this, Ethiopian surgeons have traveled to the U.S. to observe surgeries, and Dr. Punch and colleagues have traveled to Ethiopia to perform and teach surgical techniques. Surgeons in the program are now able to perform five transplants a week, all from living donors.
Dr. Punch reports that the program has benefitted not only transplant patients, but also patients throughout Ethiopia because of the newly improved laboratories. The biggest lesson learned, he says, is that “You can't just sort of show up once.” Patients benefit most when surgeons and nurses build relationships that cross cultural and national borders.
Akil
Aklilu A. Yishak, MD, MPH
Nephrologist and Specialist in Clinical Hypertension
Renal Transplant Lead for Mid-Atlantic region
Chair Kidney/Pancreas Transplant, KP National Transplant Services (NTS)
Nephrology
Tysons Corner Medical Center
8008 Westpark Dr,
McLean, VA 22102
Office: (703) 287-6400
Fax: (703) 2876551
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Aklilu Yishak
Best,
Dear Aklilu,Thank you for sharing this amazing information. 82 transplant is a big deal. I congratulate you and the team who are working with St. Paul to make this happen.I am sure you are aware but I just want to say this. You have so much data in your hand now- outcome of transplant, profile of donors, long term followup, procurement of immunosuppressive meds and comparing longterm outcome with other developing country will give an excellent information for everyone here and at home.congratulations again,BestDawd Siraj