Historic First Kidney Transplant Performed in Cape Verde
In a historic leap forward for West African medicine, Cape Verde successfully performed its first-ever kidney transplant on Monday. The procedure, conducted at the Agostinho Neto University Hospital (HUAN) in the capital city of Praia, marks a major milestone in the nation’s healthcare autonomy and was made possible through a strategic partnership with medical teams from Portugal.
A Transatlantic Success
“We have successfully performed our first kidney transplant in Cape Verde,” announced Evandro Monteiro, Chairman of HUAN, during a triumphant press conference. The surgery was the culmination of years of legislative groundwork and logistical planning. Monteiro specifically praised the collaboration with Porto’s Santo António Hospital and credited Portuguese vascular surgeon Norton de Matos for spearheaded the partnership.
De Matos acknowledged the complexity of the project, noting that the team had to navigate intricate legal and administrative hurdles to make the surgery a reality. “The path was paved over several years,” the surgeon said, emphasizing that the primary goal is to drastically improve the quality of life for the archipelago’s hemodialysis patients.
The Procedure and the Patients
The first recipient is reported to be in good health following the three-hour operation. The kidney was donated by the recipient’s sister, who is also recovering well. Surgeons utilized advanced laparoscopic techniques for the donor extraction, a minimally invasive method that avoids large incisions and speeds up recovery.
Hélder Tavares, a nephrologist at HUAN, explained that the pair was selected from 13 candidate pairs after rigorous compatibility testing. While Cape Verde has gained significant surgical capacity, Portugal continues to support the initiative by providing specialized laboratory services for compatibility testing and donating surgical equipment.
Ending the ‘Medical Exile’
For decades, Cape Verdeans suffering from chronic renal failure often had to travel to Portugal for life-saving surgeries, a process that frequently separated families and created significant financial strain. This new capability allows the archipelago to treat its citizens at home.
The Portuguese Embassy in Praia hailed the intervention as a “historical milestone” and the “logical result of consistent bilateral cooperation.” The project involves a network of partners, including the Camões Institute, the Portuguese Institute of Blood and Transplantation, TAP Air Portugal, and the logistics firm Rangel.
A Strong Foundation for the Future
Cape Verde has been steadily building its renal care infrastructure over the last decade. The country currently operates two main dialysis centers: one in Praia serving 160 patients and another in Mindelo serving 120. Remarkably, the country currently reports no waiting lists for dialysis treatment.
The partnership with Santo António Hospital will continue to focus on training Cape Verdean surgeons, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the archipelago becomes fully autonomous in performing complex transplant surgeries in the years to come.
Image: Pexels – Muhammad Khawar Nazir
