Mulago plans 12 more Kidney transplants after successful surgeries

Following a series of successful kidney transplants, Mulago National Referral Hospital is preparing to conduct 12 more surgeries in the 2026/2027 financial year, a major milestone in Uganda’s journey towards self-sufficient organ transplant services.

 Uganda’s first-ever kidney transplant was carried out in December 2023 at the same hospital. 

Since then, the hospital has successfully performed eight additional transplants, four of which were conducted mid-last week.

The final surgery of the series was on Friday, July 18th, with support from Indian specialists and four more just last week, with technical support from a UK-based team.

While early surgeries were confined to patients aged between 18 and 40 to minimise risks, this range is now expanding to include more age groups and complex cases.

“We had a 16-year-old girl who received her first pediatric transplant. The donor was her 24-year-old brother,” said Dr Peace Bagasha, a nephrologist at Mulago. “We also had a 57-year-old gentleman who received a kidney from his 43-year-old brother, making him our oldest recipient so far.”  She declined to give names since personal details of patients remain private.

 Most transplant recipients have advanced kidney failure, are already on dialysis, or are on the verge of starting it. Transplants are usually done using kidneys donated by close relatives with matching blood types. Yet despite this progress, Uganda still faces a huge backlog—more than 400 patients are currently on the waiting list.

According to the Ministry of Health, kidney-related diseases account for 40% of all medical referrals abroad. Each transplant abroad costs a minimum of Sh89 million ($25,000), not including travel and accommodation costs.

The current development means Ugandans may no longer need to travel abroad for such procedures.

“This financial year, Mulago National Rehabilitation Hospital plans to carry out 12 kidney transplants. So far, four have been carried out,” confirmed Dr John Sekabira, Acting Deputy Director at Mulago. He estimates the cost per transplant in Uganda at around sh40 to 50 million, though the figure can vary depending on the complexity of the case and the cost of immunosuppressive medication required after surgery.

Currently, the government is footing the bill for these procedures. But as Uganda moves toward expanding access, questions are arising over affordability once public funding is phased out.

“We are already planning another episode of transplants in October and November,” said Dr Frank Asimwe, one of the lead transplant surgeons. “This time, the team has been largely independent. So we can comfortably say that the Ugandan team is slowly transitioning to the point of being winged. We still need some assistance, but we’re progressing.”

Dr Bagasha noted that future transplants will push the boundaries even further.

“Subsequent transplants will be able to stretch our limits, not just for age, but for other comorbidities. Currently, we don't treat diabetic patients. But hopefully, going forward, we shall be able to include some of them as we gain more experience.”

One key issue that remains is the legal and institutional framework around organ transplantation in Uganda.

While the Organ and Cell Transplant Council has been established to oversee and regulate organ donation, it is not yet operational due to lack of funding. This delay has also hampered the participation of private health institutions in offering transplant services.

Dr Asimwe pointed to another area of potential: deceased donor programmes. “There are kidneys out there that are going down into graves which could save lives—including the very people who are burying that person,” he said.

“But we must begin to have that conversation and start harvesting organs from people who have consented.”

Despite these challenges, the Ministry of Health remains committed to growing local transplant capabilities. Dr Ronny Bahatungire, Commissioner for Health Services, explained:

“As a national rehabilitation hospital, part of what we are doing is ensuring India’s mandate. That’s why everything is being done on a pilot basis—we are still teaching and building local capacity.”