From sufferers to survivors, their tale is touching

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 27

They underwent dialysis twice a week, suffered from varied infections, their weight dropped drastically, some of them were treated for nausea and neurosis, many suffered terrible elegies and burning sensations. It is perhaps the story of all kidney patients who managed to survive after a successful transplant.

Narinder Kumar of Narayangarh in Ambala broke down while narrating the pain he went through before the surgery was performed.

“In 2012, I learnt that my creatinine level had gone up. Initially, I tried alternative medicines and visited quacks, but my condition deteriorated. In 2013, I was admitted to hospital,” said Narinder, who runs a jewellery store.

He said he had to undergo dialysis twice a week. His son came forward and offered to donate his kidney, but the transplant could not be performed as the blood group did not match.

“Only I know what I have gone through all these years. I spent Rs 8 lakh on my treatment and the same amount on kidney transplant,” said Narinder.

He said through a kidney transplant surgeon, he came in touch with Pramod from Shimla who was also suffering from renal failure.

Narinder said his son’s blood group matched that of Pramod’s while a kidney of Pramod’s wife Poonam matched that of Narinder’s in August 2015. That was how the surgery was performed in February 2016, he said.

Both Narinder and Pramod said the procedure was not easy. “First, we had to take police clearance from our respective districts. Then, we had to submit an affidavit before the tehsildar. We had to appear before a panel of doctors of the Punjab Government and submitted our case as the transplant was to be performed in a Punjab hospital. The entire exercise took nearly four months,” said the two. “If 100 persons suffer from renal failure and are on dialysis, then in 10 years, there are chances that approximately 90 persons may not survive. In case of a kidney transplant, the survival rate is 75 to 80 per cent even after 10 years of surgery,” said Dr Dr Priyadarshi Ranjan.

Transplant: Not at option for common man

A kidney transplant, who developed a mobile application to help patients, failed to take up an important issue. He did not say anything when it came to bringing down the cost of kidney transplant surgeries.

It was learnt that a private hospital in Mohali charges anything between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh.

“Renal failure ruins everything. The treatment cost is really high. Dialysis too causes a dent to the pocket.

A youth from Rajguru Nagar in Ludhiana said Rs 5 lakh was spent on his treatment.

Mobile app on kidney swap facility

On the lines of matrimonial websites, a city-based kidney transplant surgeon has devised a mobile application to help renal failure patients.

“With this app, relatives of a kidney patient can find a right match and get the kidneys swapped with one of family members. Suppose, someone’s father has suffered a kidney failure and his son offers to donate his kidney, but the blood group and tissues do not match, then the person can look for a donor with the same blood group. This app will help needy families contact each other and get the kidney swapped,” said Dr Rajan.

Since 2009, the Paired Kidney Exchange (PKE) has been legalised under the amended Human Organ Transplant Act of India. The Incompatible Kidney App or ikidney will allow all such patients to come under one roof.