For decades, a kidney transplant remained out of reach for many Zambians suffering from end stage kidney disease. Patients who could afford treatment travelled abroad, while many others remained dependent on dialysis as they waited for a second chance at life. Today, that reality is changing, thanks to a growing local kidney transplant programme led by dedicated healthcare professionals determined to build capacity at home. At the forefront of that transformation is Dr. Victor Mapulanga.
There are few medical professionals whose careers embody the spirit of building a nation’s healthcare from within quite like Dr. Victor Mapulanga. A Consultant urologist, academic, and surgical leader, Dr. Mapulanga completed his entire foundational education on home soil his primary and secondary schooling on the Copperbelt and his medical degree at the University of Zambia, where he graduated in 2002. He went on to specialise in Urology in South Africa before returning to Zambia, where he has spent more than two decades serving patients and advancing surgical care.
Today, Dr. Mapulanga serves as the Academic Head of the Department of Surgery at both the University of Zambia and the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka. He is also the President of the Surgical Society of Zambia. However, the role that currently defines much of his mission is that of Zambia’s Kidney Transplant Lead Surgeon.
“My focus has now gone into training and surgery,” he explains. “That is why I am serving as Academic Head of Surgery at the University of Zambia. I am involved in filling the surgical gap in the area of kidney transplant hence my being kidney transplant lead.”
Beyond his clinical work, Dr. Mapulanga is passionate about training the next generation of surgeons and specialists. He believes that the future of healthcare in Zambia depends not only on infrastructure and equipment but also on developing highly skilled healthcare professionals capable of delivering advanced surgical services. Through his work as an academic leader, he continues to mentor medical students, surgical trainees, and young specialists who will shape the future of surgery in Zambia.
Dr. Mapulanga is quick to dispel a common misconception that kidney transplantation is simply an operation. He describes three interconnected processes that form the complete care pathway. The first is pre-transplant care, where nephrologists assess, prepare, and manage patients before surgery. The second is the transplant procedure itself, where a healthy donor kidney is transplanted into the recipient. The third is post-transplant care, which involves lifelong monitoring and management to ensure the transplanted kidney continues functioning effectively.
“Previously in Zambia, we had services before kidney transplant and services after kidney transplant,” he explains. “What was lacking was the surgical technique to perform kidney transplants. This is where we were sending patients to India.”
The consequences of that gap were significant. Sending patients abroad for transplants placed a heavy financial burden on the Government of Zambia. For those who could not afford treatment overseas, dialysis often became the only available option a demanding and life-altering reality for many people living with end-stage kidney disease.
The turning point came through strategic partnerships and a commitment to local capacity building. Recognising the need to establish kidney transplant surgery within the country, the Ministry of Health entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the American College of Surgeons to facilitate training and mentorship for Zambian surgeons.
This collaboration has given rise to structured kidney transplant training programmes, equipping local surgical teams with the skills necessary to perform these highly specialised procedures. The successful local kidney transplant procedures conducted in Zambia represent a landmark achievement for the country’s health sector. They have reduced dependence on costly overseas referrals while bringing life-saving care closer to patients and their families.
The type of transplant currently being performed is known as living related donor transplantation, where a healthy kidney is donated by a living blood relative of the patient.
“We envision that one day we can be able to conduct transplant surgeries independently,” Dr. Mapulanga says, “so that we can expand these services to other provinces in the very same way kidney dialysis has been decentralised. That is what we envision for the kidney transplant service.”
The comparison to dialysis decentralisation is significant. What was once available only in a few centres is now accessible in multiple provinces. Dr. Mapulanga and his colleagues hope to see kidney transplantation follow the same path, ensuring more Zambians can access this life-saving service closer to home.
Public hesitancy around organ donation remains a challenge, and Zambia is no exception. Dr. Mapulanga identifies one of the most persistent myths as the belief that donating a kidney will shorten or diminish a donor’s life.
“Among the common myths is that when you do a kidney transplant, the donor will not remain alive which is not true,” he says. “One can perform their function with one kidney. When someone donates, they can live their life normally, like anyone else.”
He emphasises that healthy individuals can continue to live productive and fulfilling lives after donating one kidney, provided they are carefully assessed and medically suitable to donate.
For Dr. Mapulanga, living donation represents one of the greatest acts of compassion.
“There is no better gift you can give to a relative than life. And the best gift you can give is a kidney transplant.”
The early outcomes of Zambia’s local kidney transplant programme are already providing reason for optimism. According to Dr. Mapulanga, recipients of living related donor kidney transplants performed locally are alive, healthy, and doing well. These positive outcomes demonstrate that Zambia possesses the capability to successfully provide advanced transplant services and offer renewed hope to patients living with kidney failure.
As President of the Surgical Society of Zambia, Dr. Mapulanga’s vision extends far beyond kidney transplantation. He says the Society’s strategic direction is closely aligned with the Ministry of Health’s vision and the objectives outlined in the health policy of 2026 to that vision is the provision of safe, equitable, and quality surgical services for all Zambians.
Under his leadership, the Surgical Society of Zambia continues to advocate for improved surgical training, research, mentorship, and access to specialised surgical services across the country. The Society works closely with government institutions, training bodies, and international partners to strengthen Zambia’s surgical workforce and improve patient outcomes.
For Dr. Mapulanga, the ultimate goal is not merely to perform more operations, but to create a sustainable system capable of producing highly skilled surgeons who can serve communities throughout the country.
Dr. Victor Mapulanga’s story is, in many ways, the story of Zambian medicine at a pivotal moment. The country is no longer simply sending its most critically ill patients abroad and hoping for the best. Instead, it is building the expertise, partnerships, and institutional frameworks required to care for them at home.
His journey from a young student on the Copperbelt to one of Zambia’s leading surgeons and surgical educators reflects the power of investing in local talent and nurturing home-grown expertise.
Dr. Victor Mapulanga’s story is, in many ways, the story of Zambia’s growing capacity to provide specialised renal care. Through collaboration, training, and innovation, the country is steadily building a comprehensive kidney transplant programme that offers hope to patients who once had limited options. As Zambia continues to strengthen its renal services, Dr. Mapulanga’s leadership remains central to a vision where every patient requiring a kidney transplant can access life-saving care within their own country.
