Ten Tanzanian transplants: problems and perspectives

A strategy of live related donor kidney transplantation coupled to the briefest possible preparatory period of haemodialysis was adopted as the most cost effective treatment for a selected group of 9 Tanzanian patients who received a total of 10 grafts. Patient and donor selection and preparation were carried out at Muhimbuli Medical Centre, Dar es Salaam, and the transplant procedure and first few months of follow-up were done at St. Thomas' Hospital, London. There was a high incidence of complications which drew attention to particular risk factors in the group treated. The high cost of treating these individuals emphasizes the need for research into chronic communicable and non-communicable diseases in Africa and highlights the dilemma of appropriate use of resources in serving the world's medical needs.