For the first time in Cyprus, a kidney transplant from a mother to a child was successfully performed, the health ministry announced on Friday.

The transplant, from a mother to her 14-year-old child, was carried out with the help of associate professor Aizner Sigal, transplant surgeon and head of the pediatric kidney transplant department at Israel’s Schneider hospital and was a complete success, the ministry said.

“This can be the beginning of an essential cooperation for the provision of these specialised services to patients and will contribute substantially and significantly to the quality upgrade of the health services for Cypriot citizens.”

Health ministry permanent secretary Christina Giannaki, under whose supervision the surgery took place, expressed her warm thanks to transplant surgeon Michalis Papoulas, Anastasia Christodoulidou, head of the unit for subsidized patients and the head of the pediatric clinic of Makareios hospital, Avraam Elia, for their excellent cooperation.

“I really hope that mass vaccinations bring the desired result so that we can get rid of the pandemic as soon as possible and focus on such actions which will help improve the quality of public health in Cyprus,” she commented.