Prayagraj: In a significant relief for kidney patients, the Uttar Pradesh govt has approved kidney transplant services at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital, affiliated with Motilal Nehru Medical College. With this approval from the Directorate of Medical Education in Lucknow means that patients will no longer need to travel to cities like Delhi, Lucknow or Varanasi for a kidney transplant.Head of the Urology department Dr Dilip Chaurasia said that the procedure is set to begin in Oct. A three-member team from the directorate visited the hospital on Aug 30 to assess the preparedness of the transplant facilities in the hospital’s PMSSY building. Following a satisfactory review, the Directorate granted approval for kidney transplants on Wednesday. This authorisation is valid for five years. Principal of Motilal Nehru Medical College Dr VK Pandey described the approval as a milestone in the institution’s progress.Until now, kidney transplant services were available in select hospitals in Lucknow, such as SGPGI, KGMU, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute, and BHU in Varanasi. With this new approval, Swaroop Rani Nehru Hospital becomes the fifth govt hospital in Uttar Pradesh to offer kidney transplant sevices.Additionally, the cost of kidney transplants has also been reduced. On average, the procedure costs around Rs 8 lakh, with Rs 5 lakh covered by the chief minister’s Discretionary Fund, and the remaining balance to be borne by the patient. Head of the Nephrology department at MLN Medical College Dr Arvind Gupta explained that kidney transplants are required in cases of chronic kidney disease. Delay in treatment can lead to worsening of the condition. Currently, the hospital’s dialysis unit operates 10 beds, with dialysis being provided in four shifts, benefiting 40 patients per day. A proposal for an additional 10 dialysis beds has been submitted.Dr Chaurasia emphasised that this development brings considerable relief to patients from Prayagraj, surrounding districts, and eastern UP.