By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a total of five hours in the operating room, a team of doctors successfully completed a significant kidney transplant yesterday at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), where a father donated a kidney to his son.

Both patients are currently in the Intensive Care Unit and doing “very well” following a two-and-a-half-hour laparoscopic surgery, doctors said.

The donor is expected to remain hospitalised for three to five days. The recipient, who may require a slightly longer stay, will continue to receive follow-up care as part of his recovery.

Although this is not the country’s first kidney transplant, it is the first-ever living donor transplant performed under the Public Hospitals Authority’s (PHA) newly launched Renal Transplant Programme.

The procedure was executed by a dedicated team of Bahamian specialists in collaboration with surgeons from Trinidad and Barbados.

It marks a transformative moment for the son, who had been living with end-stage renal disease and relying on dialysis for the past three years.

The transplant is expected to restore both his health and independence.

Dr Vantario Taylor, a member of PHA’s transplant surgical team, described the family’s emotional reaction after the operation as a mix of “release, happiness, hope, enthusiasm” and pride.

He acknowledged the demanding nature of the journey, describing it as “a bumpy road” that “did not become smooth until right before the finish line”.

The father-son duo was selected from a group of potential pairs who were assessed.

“The gamut or the amount of tests and evaluation that they have to do is extensive,” Dr Taylor explained, “and sometimes one test needs to be followed by another test, or there may be an issue of an infection that needs to be treated.”

“That means that if we found an infection that was just now treated in a pair, we would have to wait four weeks until after that infection is cleared before they can be considered,” he said. “So that pair may not have been ready for today, but when they are checked up again, the hope is that they’ll be ready for next month or the month thereafter.”

PHA managing director Dr Aubynette Rolle praised the collaborative effort behind the operation, crediting laboratory staff, pharmacists, and biomedical personnel for their vital roles in making the surgery a success.

She said the successful operation is a testament to PMH’s evolving capabilities and a pivotal moment for public trust in the national healthcare system.

“Of course, every healthcare system, or may I say, every organisation, goes through challenges, and the Princess Margaret Hospital or the PHA is no exception,” she said.

“I think today just demonstrates, one, that talent exists in the country, and I just need the Bahamian people, not to lose trust in our ability, but to mark today as one where you can trust the expertise of the same people in your community to be able to take care of your health needs.”

“I think today is going to be a day where persons will begin to believe, once again, those who have lost trust, that we can actually do things.”

She acknowledged that no healthcare institution is immune to errors but emphasised that PHA is committed to refining processes, enhancing professional attitudes, and investing in talent development.

The clinical team behind the procedure included PMH director of nephrology services Dr Rhea Thurston-Carroll, general, vascular, and transplant surgeon Dr Dave Harnanan, general and transplant surgeon Dr Margaret O’Shea, advanced laparoscopic specialist and general surgeon Dr Yardesh Singh, and senior consultant surgeon Professor Vijay Naraynsingh.