LUTH Felicitates With Kidney Transplant Beneficiary

Mrs. Funke Oladeji, the beneficiary of the first kidney transplant at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), on Sunday organised a thanksgiving service to mark the first anniversary of the feat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the surgery, which lasted for five hours, was done on July 26, 2011.

Thirty-nine-year old Oladejiwas diagnosed of kidney failure in November, 2009, and was on dialysis in the hospital for almost two years before the transplant.

Funke and her husband, Wunmi, who donated the kidney, are in good health.

Her family members, friends and relatives gathered at the Evangel Faith International Mission, Ejigbo, Lagos, for the thanksgiving.

Professor Gbenga Ogunlewe, Chairman of LUTH’s Medical Advisory Committee; Mr. Babajide Grillo, Assistant Director of Administration, LUTH; and Dr. Oluwatoyin Amira, a Consultant Nephrologist with the hospital, were at the event.

Dr. Adebowale Adewunmi, also a Consultant Nephrologist in LUTH, also attended the service.

In a sermon, Pastor Emmanuel Tunwase urged couples to emulate the love and commitment of the Oladejis.

He also urged Christians to believe in God’s ability to see them through challenges.

In an emotion-laden voice, Oladeji narrated how she was the only survivor among patients on dialysis in LUTH during the period.

She could not talk much before she broke down in tears and was taken out of the podium.

Earlier, she had told NAN that the government should assist patients with kidney problems financially because of the high cost of treatment.

She noted that even after a kidney transplant, such patients still spent much money on drugs.

“We require N186,000 every month for the procurement of drugs.

“One of the drugs costs N40,000 for 50 capsules, and I take them three capsules in the morning and three in the evening; they last for eight days.

“When I was on dialysis, we spent N40,000 every three days for dialysis; how can some families afford such money?” she asked.

Oladeji urged the public to treat patients with kidney problems with love, and advised the patients to trust God that they would be healed.

“I am very grateful to God and to the doctors for all their efforts, and also to my husband for donating his kidney,” she said.

Mr. Adisa Adeniji, the Chairman of the Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, where the couple hailed from, said that the council had been giving them N100,000 monthly for the woman’s healthcare.

He promised to continue the gesture until she stopped treatment.