Indian hospital gives pediatric liver transplants to Filipinos

The Apollo Hospitals Group in New Delhi, India has undertaken 21 pediatric liver transplants cases from the Philippines, it was reported during a press conference held in Makati City recently.

"Our transplantation success rates are some of the best in the world, which is truly a credit to the excellent team at Apollo Hospitals that adheres to the highest standards of clinical care," says Dr. Anupam Sibal, group medical director, Apollo Hospitals Group and senior paediatric gastroenterologist and hepatologist.

Sibal says that among the Filipino babies who were successfully treated at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital were Emma Scarlet Mendoza, Nathaniel Almazar, Genesis Louis de Guzman, Jermaine Briseis Belista, Lalem Asher Lizada and Baby Fortune.

India showcases as destination for successful  transplants is manifested in the real life story on Sanjay, the first child in India to have been successfully transplanted at the age of 18 months in 1998.

Sanjay is now a medical student leafing a normal life. The first successful liver transplant in India was performed at Apollo Hospitals, Delhi in 1998.

Since then, more than 3,100 liver transplants have been performed at Apollo of which 298 were performed on children.

Sibal says that that the average medical cost of liver-related illness is expensive for the middle and lower class Filipinos.

"Given the rising cost of medical and health services, and medicine in the country as compared to other Asian countries like India, Taiwan, and Thailand, many Filipinos seek medical attention abroad. Many Filipinos have discovered Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals as suitable alternative for liver transplantation," he says.

For details, visit website: delhiapollohospitals.com; Twitter: @HospitalsApollo; and Facebook: @indraprasthaapollohospitals - ROBERT REQUINTINA