Former Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo, has been invited to make a presentation as a guest speaker at an international conference on Nephrology to be held in Spain in October.
He is expected to make a presentation on the cost effectiveness of kidney transplantation versus dialysis.
Dr Moyo’s invitation is a huge recognition of his research in the field of dialysis and kidney transplantation and is set to put Zimbabwe on the world map.
He was invited after a rigorous search by the conference organisers, where his research was singled out as the most befitting, among thousands of other similar publications from all over the world.
In 2019, Dr Moyo qualified with a Postgraduate Diploma in Kidney Transplantation Science, and in 2021, a Master of Science degree in Organ Transplantation, which he passed with a distinction, from the University of Liverpool, in the United Kingdom.
The University of Liverpool is one of the top British universities. He becomes the first holder of such a Master’s degree in Zimbabwe.
The training lasted five years.
Dr Moyo embarked on another Master’s degree in Renal Medicine with the University of South Wales, the UK, in 2022 and successfully completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Renal Medicine with that university this month.
In an interview, Dr Moyo said: “I am honoured to have been invited to speak at such a prestigious gathering where international researchers of repute present their findings.
“This forum also opens greater opportunities for support, cooperation and collaboration from players and investors in the dialysis and transplantation field.”
Worldwide, it has been ascertained that while dialysis is an essential treatment, kidney transplantation is noted as the best renal replacement therapy which is more cost effective in the long run and provides for a better quality of life.”
During his time as chief executive officer of Chitungwiza Central Hospital, Dr Moyo set up a state-of-the-art kidney transplantation unit with the support of Mimosa Mines and the International Society of Nephrology.
He then sent surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, pharmacists and scientists for training on the processes of transplantation at the Apollo Group of Hospitals in India.
But the coming in of Covid-19 affected the project.
Dr Moyo said at the moment, Zimbabwe needed to improve access to dialysis while working on setting up kidney transplantation services.
Dialysis patients need an exit to transplantation, while transplant recipients need a fall-back position to dialysis in case of organ rejection.
Presently, patients are being referred abroad for kidney transplantation at exorbitant charges in US dollars. – The Herald
