The transplant was performed by executive director of BLK Super Speciality Hospital (Representational)
A team of doctors from India, in collaboration with a hospital in Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam, has performed the "first ever" kidney transplant in the African country.
According to a statement issued by the Delhi-based BLK Super Speciality hospital, the surgery was conducted at the Muhimbili National Hospital on a 30-year-old Tanzanian woman, who was suffering from an end-stage kidney disease.
"It is a matter of great honour that the first ever kidney transplant in Tanzania was performed by a team of Indian doctors," said Naresh Kapoor, executive director of the BLK Super Speciality Hospital.
"We have established a credible linkage with African countries through a number of collaborative programmes, with an objective to build healthcare capacities locally in countries such as Tanzania. This surgery will certainly boost the Indo-Tanzanian relationships in the field of healthcare," he added.
The woman, on whom the surgery was performed, was on haemodialysis for over a year.
"The donor was her 27-year-old brother, who donated one of his kidneys to save his sister's life," said Dr H S Bhatyal, the head of the Urology and Kidney Transplantation department at the BLK Super Speciality Hospital.
Both the donor and the recipient were recuperating well and should return to normal activities soon, Dr Sunil Prakash, director and head of the Nephrology department at the BLK Super Speciality Hospital, said.
According to the statement, while announcing the historical medical achievement, the health minister of Tanzania, Ummi Mwalimu, said, "We are very thankful to the Indian doctors as such surgeries would provide cost relief and enable many Tanzanians to access world-class health services.
The success of this kidney transplant has laid a noble foundation for the introduction of other organ transplantations in the country.
"This brings hope to a number of patients waiting for transplant operations in the African nation. The medical collaboration (between India and Tanzania) is set to grow stronger in the coming days."