A landmark living-donor kidney transplant has been completed at Antigua and Barbuda’s Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC), where a 26-year-old daughter gave the gift of life to her 49-year-old mother in an operation carried out on September 25. Hospital officials confirmed that both the donor and recipient are in stable condition and progressing well post-surgery, currently under close medical monitoring as they begin their recovery journeys. This successful procedure marks the 14th kidney transplant completed in the hospital’s growing transplant program.
The multidisciplinary surgical team was led by Dr. Obi Ekwenna, a specialist in abdominal transplant and urologic surgery, working alongside Dr. Ian Thomas, a transplant nephrologist, and a broad team of allied medical professionals to bring the procedure to a successful outcome. In comments following the surgery, Dr. Thomas emphasized that the national organ shortage continues to leave many patients waiting for life-saving transplants, and he urged more members of the public to consider becoming living kidney donors. He also clarified that potential donors are not required to be biologically related to or matched with a specific recipient, opening the door for more altruistic donations from willing community members.
The SLBMC transplant program has received long-term backing from Antigua and Barbuda’s Medical Benefits Scheme, which has supported the development and expansion of local transplant services over the past decade. The most recent procedure also received critical financial support from the Antigua and Barbuda Renal Society, which partners with the public hospital to advance renal care across the nation. Looking ahead, the program is on track to celebrate its 10-year anniversary of providing life-saving transplants to local patients in 2027.