Given the rising cost of medical and health services and medicine in the country, Filipino families continue to struggle financially with liver transplantation costs. The average medical cost of liver-related illness is expensive for the middle and lower-class Filipinos. As a solution, these families seek medical attention abroad. India is perceived as economically viable when it comes to intricate treatments like liver transplants and Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi, India, has been discovered as a suitable medical facility for liver transplantation. With their proven expertise, international patients now look towards the country for their treatment.
21 pediatric liver transplant cases from the Philippines were undertaken from the hospital in the last 18 months. Baby Genesis Louis De Guzman, Baby Jermaine Briseis J Belista, and Baby Fortune are among the Filipino babies who were successfully treated at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. “Our transplantation success rates are some of the best in the world, which is truly a credit to the excellent team at Apollo Hospital that adheres to the highest standards of clinical care,” Dr. Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said.
“Liver transplantation in small babies are more complex than a regular liver transplant,” Dr. Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant, Liver Transplant Department, Apollo Hospital, Delhi stated, “We are now able to perform transplants in high-risk cases, very small babies, patients with difficult anatomy and patients with multi-organ dysfunction. It is this expertise that gives hope and happiness to patients from world over who come to Apollo Hospitals to seek respite from their ailments.”
“Our team tries to ensure the convenience and comfort of Filipino families during their stay in the hospital by providing them with value added services such as a dedicated lounge. We even offer Filipino cuisine that makes our guests feel at home at Apollo Hospital,” said Raj Raina, General Manager – Marketing & Strategic Business. Families are also offered free airport transfers and free transportation services around the city.
Baby Jermaine from the Philippines underwent successful liver transplants at Indraprastha Apollo hospitals last year. “He was diagnosed with the chronic liver disease with Caroli disease, which is a rare congenital disorder of the intrahepatic bile ducts. She underwent a liver transplant and her operation was successful, then was discharged after 3 weeks,” Jonalyn, mother of the baby, quipped.
Father of Baby Fortune said “Fortune is our first kid and when we found the complications, we were very tensed and didn’t know where to go. LITRO babies and Hope Foundation came to us for help and in the next few days, we were at Apollo Hospitals for treatment. I am thankful to the doctors and the Hospital for giving my son a new life.
Sanjay was the first child in India to have been successfully transplanted at the age of 18 months in 1998. He is now a medical student leading a normal life. Since then, more than 3,100 liver transplants have been performed at Apollo of which 298 were performed on children.