A 62-year-old man is seeking assistance to raise Sh4 million to undergo a kidney transplant in India to get a new lease of life after years of battling end-stage renal disease.
In retrospect, Samson Kavoi, said his health woes started in 1991, when he was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure.
“It reached a point where urinating was difficult. When I went to the hospital, I was informed I had kidney problems because I stopped peeing at all. The doctor told me the condition is kidney end stage, and it can only be treated through dialysis,” explained Kavoi with tears flowing down his cheeks in his house in Migadini, Changamwe.
Kavoi started dialysis in 2022 with three sessions a week, spending four hours in each session. Each session of dialysis cost Sh 9600, with the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) catering for one session per week.
“Life has not been the same since I was diagnosed with kidney end stage. I am the sole breadwinner in my family. The disease has disrupted my day-to-day activities. I cannot do any work,” said Kavoi.
He has undergone several In-Center Hemodialysis (HD), but doctors have advised him not to continue with HD.
Kavoi now uses a hemodialysis catheter, but he said, “It poses a big risk of infection since it is connected to the heart, which doctors don’t prefer because it may result in heart problems.”
He noted that dialysis is not the cure but a way of helping a patient live. He revealed that doctors usually give patients five years, for the kidneys to function optimally. After three years, if they are not functioning, they recommend a kidney transplant.
“A fellow patient has successfully undergone a transplant in India. I have been wishing for the same to happen to me. The money needed for the transplant is Sh4 million. I know well-wishers can assist me in getting out of this depressing situation. It is a pain for me,” appealed Kavoi.
He revealed that dialysis has weakened his body as it always removes important nutrients. His daughter is ready to donate a kidney and has undergone all the necessary tests.
John Osiemo, Kavoi’s friend, urged well-wishers to fulfil Kavoi’s dream of living a normal life.
“We have seen Kavoi’s health deteriorate, but we didn’t know what he was going through. When he reached the dialysis stage, he sought assistance through the church,” said Osiemo.
Well-wishers can reach Kavoi through his phone number, 0716055488.
By Sadik Hassan
