logo
Turkish Health Team Performs First Kidney Transplant in Burkina Faso with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Support

Turkish Health Team Performs First Kidney Transplant in Burkina Faso with Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Support

Zawya5 days ago
With the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the first kidney transplant in Burkina Faso was successfully performed, marking a milestone in the country's medical history and setting an example for health diplomacy in West Africa.
Organized in collaboration with the Turkish Society of Intensive Care and the Turkish Transplant Foundation (TONV), and supported by TİKA, the program included both training and practical applications in the field of healthcare.
As part of the initiative in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, more than 200 Burkinabé doctors and healthcare professionals received a two-day 'Basic Intensive Care Training' conducted by expert physicians from Türkiye. The program was recognized as one of the most comprehensive intensive care training sessions ever held in Africa.
A highlight of the visit was the country's first kidney transplant, carried out under the leadership of the Turkish medical team.
During their stay, the Turkish delegation also met with the Minister of Health of Burkina Faso and other senior officials to explore further opportunities for cooperation in healthcare.
President Traoré receives Turkish health delegation
Another key moment of the visit was the audience at the Presidential Palace, where Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré welcomed the Turkish health delegation. President Traoré expressed his appreciation for Türkiye's expertise in healthcare and stated his wish for Türkiye to become his country's principal partner in this field.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

On World Organ Donation Day KFSHRC announces 10 kidney exchange transplants completed in 48 hours
On World Organ Donation Day KFSHRC announces 10 kidney exchange transplants completed in 48 hours

Zawya

time7 hours ago

  • Zawya

On World Organ Donation Day KFSHRC announces 10 kidney exchange transplants completed in 48 hours

Riyadh: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) successfully performed 10 kidney exchange transplants over two consecutive days, setting a global record for the highest number of such procedures conducted within a two-day span at a single center, coinciding with World Organ Donation Day on August 13. This milestone reinforces KFSHRC's position as a global leader in organ transplantation. This accomplishment reflects the hospital's high clinical readiness, the seamless coordination of its multidisciplinary medical teams, and its advanced systems for managing donor-recipient matching, alongside its extensive experience in executing complex transplant procedures. All of these factors enable KFSHRC to carry out this type of exchange transplantation with precision and within an exceptionally short timeframe. Paired kidney transplantation is an innovative approach that matches donor–patient pairs for mutual exchange. In this system, each donor gives a kidney to a patient with whom they have no direct relation, while their own relative receives a kidney from another donor. The process significantly improves compatibility rates and offers new hope to patients who face challenges in finding a suitable match within their families. Last year, KFSHRC celebrated a major milestone by completing more than 500 paired kidney transplants since the program was launched in 2011. Since launching its organ transplantation program in 1981, the hospital has successfully performed over 5,000 kidney transplants, placing it among an elite group of global transplant centers. In 2024, the hospital conducted 80 pediatric kidney transplants, the highest annual volume reported worldwide. This makes KFSHRC's pediatric kidney transplant program the largest of its kind compared to leading centers in the United States and Europe. This remarkable achievement underscores KFSHRC's commitment to its vision of being the provider of choice for specialized healthcare. By leveraging its skilled workforce, advanced technologies, and the integration of research and clinical programs, the hospital aims to deliver world-class treatment experiences both locally and globally, while enhancing the Kingdom's position as a leader in organ transplantation. KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 15th globally in the list of the world's top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year and has been recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings. Additionally, in the same year, it was ranked among the world's best 250 hospitals and included in the World's Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit or contact our media team at mediacoverage@

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi saves Kuwaiti mother's life with double organ transplant
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi saves Kuwaiti mother's life with double organ transplant

Zawya

time7 hours ago

  • Zawya

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi saves Kuwaiti mother's life with double organ transplant

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has successfully carried out a combined liver and kidney transplant on Nashami, a Kuwaiti mother of three, who was diagnosed with advanced liver disease and kidney failure caused by primary biliary cirrhosis. Referred by doctors in Kuwait and the UK for the hospital's expertise in advanced transplant care, Nashami was placed on a shared UAE-Kuwait waiting list under the organ sharing agreement established between both countries in 2021. The programme has saved over 180 lives through coordinated efforts between medical teams, embassies, airports and hospitals. The surgery, performed by Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's multidisciplinary transplant team, began with a liver transplant followed by a kidney transplant, with minimal blood loss and reduced time between donor organ retrieval and transplantation to preserve organ function. Dr. Luis Campos, Staff Physician, Abdominal Transplant, said the complexity of the case demonstrated the strength of the hospital's integrated teams and surgical protocols. Dr. Baraa Abduljawad, Staff Physician, Critical Care, noted that optimising the timing of transplantation significantly improves outcomes. Since launching the UAE's first multi-organ transplant programme in 2017, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has completed over 900 transplants, including liver, kidney, heart and lung procedures. In 2024 alone, it treated patients from more than 100 countries, many requiring highly complex, life-saving surgeries. Through the National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Hayat), and with the support of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the hospital continues to transform donations into second chances for critically ill patients.

Improving access to maternal health care in Burkina Faso
Improving access to maternal health care in Burkina Faso

Zawya

time4 days ago

  • Zawya

Improving access to maternal health care in Burkina Faso

"During my first pregnancy three years ago, I had to travel 45 km just to have get an ultrasound. I had to pay for transport, wait for an appointment and sometimes even go to a private clinic and pay 10 000 CFA francs. Between the cost of transport and the time lost, a lot of women gave up," says Kindo, a mother of two. "Now that we can have an ultrasound here in Tiériba, free of charge, and on the same day as the consultation, it's a real relief.' In Burkina Faso, improving access to obstetric care is a major strategic focus in the efforts to curb maternal mortality. An initiative has been introduced: training midwives in basic obstetric ultrasound during antenatal consultations to improve pregnancy monitoring—particularly in remote areas where specialists are hard to reach. Obstetric ultrasound is a key tool in antenatal care to determine gestation date, detect foetal abnormalities, detect ectopic pregnancies, assess foetal growth and determine the most suitable delivery method. In 2021, the Ministry of Health launched a pilot programme in eight health districts in Boucle du Mouhoun and Hauts-Bassins regions. 'In the past, pregnant women monitored at our centre had to go elsewhere to get an ultrasound. This caused delays in diagnosis, extra costs, and sometimes avoidable complications,' says Denise, a midwife and head of the maternity ward at the Sakaby Urban Medical Centre. Denise, along with 17 other midwives, received specialized training in basic obstetric ultrasound in November 2023. 'This initiative is a game-changer because early detection of complications is essential for the safety of both mother and baby,' she explains. Following the training, she and her team performed over 2000ultrasounds tests between January 2024 and March 2025, and 10 high-risk pregnancies were identified and managed in time. 'Easy access to ultrasound is of strategic importance, both in terms of public health and socio-economic development. Ultrasound enables early and noninvasive diagnosis of abnormalities, allowing for timely care,' explains Dr Moussa Dadjoari, Head of Women, Men and Elderly Health Services at the Ministry of Health's Family Health Directorate. The Sakaby Urban Medical Centre also recorded the highest number of antenatal consultations and deliveries since the start of the project, with over 1300 antenatal consultations and deliveries November 2022 and October 2023. The initiative is part of a broader drive to improve maternal care quality, alongside other measures such as free healthcare for pregnant women and children under five, including childbirth-related care, free access to family planning, enhanced community health through targeted health promotion and prevention for pregnant and postpartum women, and better management of obstetric complications. The project was made possible through funding from the Sexual and Reproductive Health Project, which supported the development of a training manual for ultrasound and the training of trainers. Dr Jean de Dieu Sanou, a gynaecologist-obstetrician at Sourou Sanou University Hospital in Bobo-Dioulasso and one of six trainers recruited for the project, welcomes the results but highlights areas for improvement. 'Although the training duration for midwives was relatively short, it provides useful basic knowledge in underserved areas. The lack of ultrasound can lead to late diagnosis of serious conditions or missing multiple pregnancies altogether.' WHO recommends one ultrasound before the 24th week of pregnancy to optimise antenatal follow-up. This approach not only reduces risks for mother and child but also strengthens women's trust in the health system. 'For this recommendation to become a reality, it's vital to invest more in staff training, health facility equipment and community awareness,' says Dr Ramatou Sawadogo Windsouri, head of the maternal and child health programme at the WHO office in Burkina Faso. WHO has provided strategic support to the Family Health Directorate to engage professional bodies, particularly obstetrician-gynaecologists, midwives and radiologists in promoting acceptance. WHO also supported the development of a training manual tailored to the Burkina Faso context. Nevertheless, challenges remain. In most health centres, only one midwife has been trained, making the service unavailable in their absence. Supply shortages have aso been reported. WHO and the Ministry of Health plan to extend the project to other districts, with support from the World Bank. The goal is to make basic prenatal ultrasound an essential service accessible to all pregnant women, wherever they live. By bringing ultrasound into public health centres, inequalities in access to care are reduced and lives are saved. 'After having the ultrasound with my midwife, I felt reassured seeing the baby's position in my womb and knowing everything was fine. It made for a better pregnancy experience,' says Kindo, hopeful that this essential service will remain sustainable and accessible to all pregnant women in Burkina Faso. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store