Cape Verde to carry out first kidney transplant in the first quarter of 2026 - National Health Director

"Kidney transplantation is an exercise that we have been normalizing for some time now, organizing the whole system in terms of equipment and from a legal point of view because it is a very delicate process from an ethical and legal point of view," she said.

According to Ângela Gomes, in order to take the first steps, the country had to create and adapt all the necessary tools and then move forward with quality and safety, with the aim of ensuring that the process is sustainable.

"At the moment we already have all the protocols in place with the Portuguese entities, which is our implementation partner, we have the technical and physical skills in place and we do believe that within the first quarter of 2026 we will be carrying out the first kidney transplant in Cape Verde," he said.

Also, he noted, the physical conditions are already in place, as are the protocols and technical skills needed to carry out this "great challenge", which is the first transplant.

The bill to regulate organ transplants in Cape Verde was unanimously approved by the National Assembly on December 8, 2023, representing "a historic milestone for health in the country," according to the same source.

The legislation establishes the legal regime related to quality and safety in the donation and harvesting of organs, tissues and cells of human origin, intended for diagnosis, therapy or transplantation, as well as the transplantation interventions themselves.

The kidney transplant process had "great support from Portugal", reiterated Ângela Gomes, who helped with the training and installation of the necessary materials so that the country could solve the problem of kidney disease.

Inforpress/End