Prayers failed, but doctors succeed: HIV patient gets kidney

Bengaluru: Offering a world of hope to patients battling HIV, 40-year-old Mr OG from Nigeria, who also suffers from kidney ailments, shares his story. Mr OG (as he preferred to be called) has been battling HIV since 2010 and had no idea that he would be diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure as well.

“I was shocked when I was diagnosed with renal failure. I had not imagined it,” said the 40-year-old. He found that he was afflicted with the debilitating disease when he collapsed at the airport while on a business trip to Holland in November 2014. “I was made to undergo dialysis for two months in Holland before being sent back to Nigeria. I was heartbroken, confused and did not know what to do. But after consulting with doctors, I decided that I have to make it work," said Mr OG, who started focusing on the next best option – a kidney transplant.

Luckily for Mr OG, his cousin studying in the city suggested treatment at the city-based Manipal Hospital. Dr Rohan Augustine, Nephrologist, Manipal Hospitals, said, “He came to us in July and was desperate to get his life back, which was a good thing as many patients lose hope after being diagnosed with HIV itself."

On the plight of HIV patients undergoing transplants, Dr Rohan said, “HIV patients were earlier not considered transplant candidates as researchers thought that the survival rates after transplantation were greatly compromised by the disease which cripples the body's immune system. But it is not true, and the success rate is comparable to any other transplant patient.”

However, the only complication that exists for such doctors is getting the patient on track for the transplant. “The patient's immunity status has to be optimal and also the viral load. The CD4 count has to be at least around 200 and the viral load below 50 and then comes the ultimate challenge of other medications," said Dr Rohan, who tried to get Mr OG to optimal health by treating him for three month before the transplant.

The doctors had to ensure that the medications ensure two things, good graft function and prophylaxis (medication or a treatment designed and used to prevent a disease from occurring) so that the virus does not spread.

"We had to be extremely cautious with these two things post transplant," he added.

Mr OG successfully underwent a transplant on November 7 after his brother donated a kidney. “There is normally a taboo attached to HIV patients. My apprehensions were put to end by the support of family and doctors. I feel healthy. HIV patients should come forward and if they have a kidney failure they should consider it as an option," he summed up.