'Finance barrier in transplants'

After conducting 929 liver, kidney and heart transplants in 2011, the Apollo heart institute's solid organ transplant programme has also become the world's busiest.

After conducting 929 liver, kidney and heart transplants in 2011, the Apollo heart institute's solid organ transplant programme has also become the world's busiest.

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The first successful kidney transplant in India was conducted at the Apollo hospital Delhi in 1998.

"Finance is a major barrier in organ transplant and we are working very closely with banks and financial institutions to provide best loan schemes for our patients. We hope organ transplant becomes accessible for patients with various end stage pathologies," said Dr Prathap C Reddy, Apollo hospitals group.

Apollo hospital has conducted transplants on patients from more than 44 countries across the world.

To date, Apollo hospitals have performed 851 liver transplants and 6912 kidney transplants.

The hospital has also helped medical centres in countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh.

"The area of kidney transplant has evolved considerably. We are now ready for combined kidney-pancreas transplantation," said Dr Sandeep Guleira, kidney transplant surgeon.