Cape Verde moves forward with kidney transplants with Portuguese support
Cape Verde will sign an agreement with Portugal to allow kidney transplants to be carried out in the archipelago. The project, which has the support of the Santo António Hospital in Porto, includes the supply of surgical equipment, training of professionals and specialized tests. Currently, Cape Verdean patients depend on hemodialysis treatments in the country or abroad. The agreement will be signed during the bilateral summit on January 28.
The clinical director of the Praia dialysis center, Hélder Tavares, told Lusa the importance of the agreement signed between Portugal and Cape Verde, which will allow kidney transplants to be carried out in the archipelago. For the doctor, "patients deserve a better chance", and this is a significant milestone in the improvement of healthcare in the country.
Until now, patients with kidney failure faced enormous challenges, including the need to travel to Portugal for hemodialysis treatments, which meant family and social disruption. "Before 2014, patients had to move to Portugal to undergo hemodialysis, a treatment that requires three sessions a week," explained Hélder Tavares.
The neurosurgeon said that he had to go to Portugal to undergo hemodialysis.
According to the nephrologist, kidney transplantation is a definitive treatment that has better results, a lower mortality rate and a better quality of life. However, Cape Verde still lacks the infrastructure and specialized human resources to carry out these procedures independently. For this reason, Portugal will provide essential support, including compatibility tests and the training of Cape Verdean professionals.
The Santo António Hospital in Porto will be the main Portuguese partner in this project, providing technical support, surgical training and specialized material to equip Cape Verde. The initiative aims to create autonomy in the long term so that the country can carry out transplants independently.
At present, the Portuguese hospital is the main partner in this project.
Currently, the two dialysis centers in Cape Verde, located in the hospitals of Praia and Mindelo, treat around 280 patients on a regular basis. With mortality rates of between 7% and 8%, the results of these centers are considered positive for the specialty.
The agreement will make it possible for dialysis to be carried out independently.
The agreement that will make the transplants possible will be formalized during the bilateral summit scheduled for January 28, which will be attended by the Portuguese head of government, Luís Montenegro, and the Cape Verdean prime minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva.
In addition to cooperation in health, the Cape Verdean Minister for Foreign Affairs, José Filomeno Monteiro, stressed that sustainable development and the economy will be central themes in the discussions at the summit.