Jehangir Hospital, a leading healthcare institution based out of Pune, stated that it conducted its 500th kidney transplant on July 13th, 2021 making it one of the most successful healthcare institutions in the city.
Jehangir Hospital Transplant Team along with Chairman, Mr. Jehangir HC Jehangir, and CEO Mr. Vinod Sawantwadkar
Jehangir Hospital recorded its first transplant way back in January, 1998. The donor received the kidney from his brother. 22 years later, he is still healthy and recently retired from his service. At that time, Jehangir Hospital clocked single digit transplants. Over the years, the number of transplants surged due to technological advancement, drugs, and awareness.
“The multidisciplinary team of physicians, surgeons, transplant coordinators, dieticians, pharmacists, social workers, and nurses work in close collaboration to make this possible. Jehangir Hospital was associated with the first Swap transplant in the city in 2008. It is also credited with the first ABO swap incompatible transplant which was held in 2018. Good results have been the key to success of the entire programme. We have had more than 90% survival of the kidney and the patient in the last few years,” said Dr. Sriniwas Ambike, Senior Nephrologist responsible for this programme.
“500 renal transplants in a single hospital is a very good achievement. There are a number of factors responsible for this. A reputed hospital with clean ethical practice, dedicated nephrologists, anaesthetists, and of course, skilled surgical team. It took 10 years to do the first 100 transplants, 1999-2009; and then it took 12 years to add 400 more. We are very proud to be members of the Jehangir Transplant Team,” said Dr. Deepak Kirperkar, Senior Urologist and Transplant Surgeon, Jehangir Hospital.
“Kidney transplants have come a long way in our country, and Pune is not behind. We are proud to complete 500 transplants in a renowned institute like Jehangir Hospital which has been a tertiary care referral centre for decades. With excellent and world comparable results, I am sure our team will keep on crossing milestones,” said Dr. Dhanesh Kamerkar, Sr Vascular Surgeon at Jehangir Hospital.
Dr. Sunil Jhavale, Nephrologist, and one of the newest members of the team, added, “Transplant is a boon and life changing for patients on haemodialysis. At a Center like ours with so much experience and comprehensive care under one belt, results are definitely the best.”
Announcing the milestone, CEO, Mr. Vinod Sawantwadkar said, “This is not a milestone that can be counted just in numbers. 500 kidney transplants mean that 500 patients with end stage kidney disease have received a second lease of life at Jehangir Hospital. This would not have been possible without the donors and their families who took this noble step. We are proud to have achieved this milestone which is a testament to the calibre of advanced medical care available at Jehangir hospital with our team of outstanding transplant specialists providing the highest quality care and outcomes. Our team of nationally recognized transplant specialists has done outstanding work to provide the highest quality care and outcomes for patients in need of kidney transplantation. We appeal to everyone to spread the awareness about the organ donation and come forward for this noble gesture. Your one small gesture can save someone’s life.”
Among the pioneers in kidney transplant in Pune, a multidisciplinary team of transplant surgeons, physicians, nurses, transplant coordinators and social workers work in close collaboration with the Network for Organ Sharing and the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) to help patients with end stage renal disease through kidney transplants, enabling them to lead normal lives. Jehangir Hospital is amongst the very few hospitals doing ABO incompatible transplant.
The organ transplant programme is backed by state-of-the-art facilities such as dedicated Intensive Care Units, sophisticated diagnostic and radiology facilities and advanced operating theatres with tools required for safe surgery.