POM Gen to offer first kidney transplant service through NFA funding

Port Moresby General Hospital is set to make history with the commissioning of two key machines to support the kidney transplant program which will be a milestone achievement for Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.

The two key machines Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) and the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Device (TDM) were recently commissioned at PMGH.

The HLA Machine would be used for compatibility testing between the donor and recipient while the TDM machine monitors the immunosuppressive drug levels post-transplant. The commissioning of the machines will eliminate the need to send blood samples overseas.

Present to witness this momentous occasion was Dr Nora Dai, Acting Executive Manager, Medical Standards and Chief Anaesthetist, National Department of Health and Dr Paki Molumi, CEO of PMGH together with the Director Medical Service.

Dr Dai congratulated PMGH for driving the National Health Service Standards for the Level 6 National Tertiary Referral, Research and Teaching Hospital to achieve the Key Result Areas (KRAs) in the National Health Plan 2021-2030.

“We are on the eve of the first kidney transplantation in the Pacific region. This is a real momentous occasion not just for Papua New Guinea but for the rest of the Pacific, and we are sending shock waves in places where they thought that we could never do this,” she said.

“These two machines will also help to reduce the cost of the travel, sending tests overseas, and the laboratory costs.”

In his speech, Dr Molumi, thanked National Fisheries Authority (NFA) for the funding of K10 million towards the kidney transplant program without which the project will not reach this far.

He further congratulated the Kidney Transplant Project Steering Committee Chairman, Dr. Otki Poki, and the committee members for the tireless effort to ensure all requirements are met for a successful first kidney transplant.

“By introducing a kidney transplant program, we can free up patients from the dialysis machine so that they can live a free economical life rather than been hooked to the dialysis machines.”

“The kidney transplant service will be extended to the neighbouring pacific countries so that their patients, who are currently being sent to New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, or other countries for kidney transplant services, can have the procedure done in our country driving medical tourism which achieves the Governments objective of growing the economy,” he said.

He acknowledged the remaining challenge of finalizing the kidney transplant policy and legal framework, aiming to conduct the first transplant as a Golden Jubilee gift to the people of Papua New Guinea.