Tawakkal Specialist Hospital expands access to kidney transplantation through coordinated specialist care
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KPJ Healthcare Berhad (“KPJ Healthcare” or “the Group”) has launched its first Kidney Transplant Service within the KPJ network, marking a significant milestone that expands access to highly specialised transplant care and reflects the continued development of advanced clinical capabilities under the KPJ Health System (“KPJHS”).
Introduced at Tawakkal Specialist Hospital (“TSH”), the service offers kidney transplantation available as a specialised treatments option for suitable patients with kidney failure.
The launch follows a successful kidney transplant procedure completed earlier this year involving a living related donor, demonstrating the hospital’s readiness to deliver transplant care supported by established clinical pathways and specialist expertise.
The procedure was performed by Consultant Urologist Dr Norman Dublin and Professor Dr Azad Hassan Abdul Razack together with Consultant Nephrologist and Internal Medicine Specialist Dr Muhammad Iqbal Abdul Hafidz. They were supported by a multidisciplinary team comprising anaesthesiologists, radiologists, critical care specialists, nursing teams and allied health professionals.
For suitable patients with advanced kidney disease, kidney transplantation is recognised as an important treatment option that may support improved long-term clinical outcomes and reduced dependence on dialysis compared to conventional renal replacement therapies.
The Kidney Transplant Service is supported by an integrated care pathway that brings together nephrology, transplant surgery, anaesthesiology, radiology, intensive care, nursing, pharmacy, dialysis, rehabilitation, dietetics, laboratory and transplant coordination services. This multidisciplinary team ensures continuity of care for both donors and recipients throughout their treatment journey.
Chin Keat Chyuan, President and Managing Director of KPJ Healthcare said, “The launch of the Kidney Transplant Service marks an important milestone in the continued development of advanced clinical capabilities under the KPJ Health System. It reflects our commitment to broaden access to highly specialised treatment and strengthen the range of complex care available to patients across the KPJ network. Kidney transplantation requires strong clinical governance, specialist expertise and long-term follow-up. This service demonstrates how the KPJ Health System brings these capabilities together to support patients who require advanced treatment and ongoing care. Guided by our Care for Life purpose, we remain committed to developing capabilities that support patients throughout every stage of their healthcare journey.”
Professor Dato’ Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid, Chief Medical Director of KPJ Healthcare said, “For suitable patients with end-stage kidney disease, kidney transplantation can offer improved quality of life and reduce dependence on long-term dialysis. The availability of this service enables patients to access comprehensive transplant care supported by specialist teams throughout the treatment journey.”
Dr Nurhashim Haron, Medical Director of Tawakkal Specialist Hospital said, “The launch of the Kidney Transplant Service marks an important milestone for Tawakkal Specialist Hospital. It builds on the hospital’s longstanding involvement in renal care, including renal transplant procedures performed during the 1980s under the leadership of the late Datuk Dr Hussein Awang, urologist and co-founder of Tawakkal Specialist Hospital, who performed Malaysia’s first renal transplant in 1975. We are honoured to continue that legacy by making kidney transplantation available to a new generation of patients.”
The Kidney Transplant Service reflects the continued evolution of the KPJ Health System, where clinical expertise, education, research and innovation work together to support increasingly specialised care. As KPJ Healthcare continues to strengthen its integrated healthcare model, initiatives such as this help expand access to complex treatments for patients across the network.
For more information on Tawakkal Specialist Hospital, visit https://kpjhealth.com.my/tawakkal
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About KPJ Healthcare Berhad
KPJ Healthcare operates 30 hospitals across Malaysia and three Ambulatory Care Centres, serving 3.3 million patients annually with 1,491 medical consultants. Nineteen hospitals are accredited by MSQH and four by JCI. As Malaysia’s first private healthcare provider to establish an Academic Health System, KPJHS integrates practice, education and research & innovation to drive clinical excellence and patient experience. Beyond hospitals, KPJ Healthcare operates Klinik Waqaf An-Nur (KWAN) clinics, dialysis centres and mobile clinics nationwide, and offers more than 40 academic programmes at KPJ Healthcare University (KPJU). KPJ Healthcare has been a constituent of the Bursa Malaysia FTSE4Good Index since 2016.
