Hyderabad: NIMS completes 1000 kidney transplants; Jeevandan scheme proves life saver

Hyderabad: Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) has achieved a milestone by completing 1000 kidney transplants in the past decade. NIMS has consistently performed over 100 transplants annually, with this year alone already witnessing 101 successful transplants.

Role of the Jeevandan Program and Aarogyasri Scheme

The NIMS renal transplant program, established in 1989, has been a key player in kidney transplantation across the region. The introduction of the Jeevandan cadaver transplantation program has further accelerated the pace of transplant surgeries. Since 2012, over 1200 kidney transplants have been performed at NIMS, bringing the total number of surgeries since the program’s inception to 1730.

These surgeries were provided free of cost to patients under the Aarogyasri Health Scheme, funded by the Government of Telangana.

Multifaceted Urology Team at NIMS

The same team of urologists manages both transplant surgeries and other urological procedures at NIMS. This team performs 900 to 1000 other urological surgeries each month, including treatments for renal stones, prostate conditions, cancer, reconstructive urology, and pediatric urology. On multiple occasions, the team has performed two or more transplants in a single day.

Dedicated Medical Teams Behind the Milestone

The kidney transplant program at NIMS is led by Professor and HOD Dr. Rahul Devraj, and supported by a large team of urologists, anesthetists, and nephrologists. The multidisciplinary team includes Professor Dr. Ram Reddy, Dr. Vidyasagar, and several other experts, all of whom have played a crucial role in this achievement.

Patients waiting for kidney

The number of patients who are registered with Jeevandan scheme in Telangana and waiting for kidney are 7427. From 2014 when the Jeevandan scheme was started the total number of kidney transplants carried out under the scheme are 2235.

The scheme along with Aarogyasri has helped to create a pool of cadaver donations which has helped those who require kidney get it. The waiting time is long but streamlining has helped to create a pool of resources.