Dr. Tsegaye Birhane, Director of the National Kidney Transplant Center, revealed in an interview with Al-Ayin that the center has successfully performed kidney transplant procedures for 187 patients since its establishment. The director shared both achievements and concerning developments at the facility.
According to Dr. Tsegaye, the center has the capacity to perform up to three transplants per week and potentially serve up to 100 patients annually. However, he noted that the facility is currently operating below its full capacity due to resource constraints and input shortages.
In a troubling development, Dr. Tsegaye disclosed that people have been approaching the hospital offering to sell their kidneys. He emphasized that organ donation is a matter requiring extreme caution and careful consideration, expressing concern about these unauthorized attempts at organ sales.
The revelation highlights both the growing capability of Ethiopia’s medical facilities and the desperate circumstances that might drive individuals to consider selling their organs, raising serious ethical and social concerns that need to be addressed.
