You have one Kidney-Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council tells Kabanda

By Moses Oketayot

The Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council (UMDPC); a body that handles complaints against the practitioners and their health facilities, on Thursday released a statement in relation to the matter, where a one Muhmood Kabanda alleged that his left kidney was harvested without his consent from Old Kampala Hospital.

According to UMDPC, following a complaint written to it about the Hospital, the hospital was asked for explanation which included giving the identified doctors who operated on the case. The Neurosurgeons who carried out the operation were also asked to give a response.

The Council also says that it obtained documents which included an explanation letter from Old Kampala Hospital, an explanation from the doctor who operated on Kabanda, a file containing medical records of Kabanda, and Ultrasound scan from Malcom Medical Centre among other documents to help find out what exactly happened.

The findings of the Council show that the size of the incision. “Their findings were indeed that there was a a scar in the anterior abdominal wall that was far from the anatomical location of the kidney. And according to the site and size, it would have been very difficult for anybody to harvest a kidney through that site, as one would have to go through several layers of muscles to reach the kidney,..” the statement reads in part.

The report further says that according to the mobility of the lower limbs, it was clear that the internal structure were not tampered with. And that the incision did not go beyond the skin and underlying soft tissue.

The radiologists also demonstrated that there was only one kidney (right kidney) which normally occurs in 1:750 persons. They also found a big right kidney that had two renal arteries supplying it. “The main aorta did not have any branch going to the left side.”

The report also says that there was no evidence of any cut on the main aorta, and concluded that it was possible for the left kidney to have fused with the right kidney during formation hence the 2 renal arteries supplying it.

Associate Prof. Joel Okullo; the Chairman UMDPC said that basing on the observations of the surgeons and radiologists, and examination of the medical records, there was no kidney on the left side to have been harvested as he added: “UMDPC concludes that Mr. Kabanda has only one kidney, that is the right kidney.”

The Council called for all the allegations to be set to rest, and requested Kabanda to be supported psychologically to come to terms with the reality, since the copies of the findings were given to the parties involved and their lawyers, and that a full report shall be availed to them in due course.

The Council was formed by an Act of Parliament (UMDPC Act 272), and one of its mandates is to protect the public from unsafe practices of medical and dental practitioners.