30,000 patients waiting for organ transplants in Turkey

ANKARA

Some 30,000 patients are currently waiting for organ transplants in Turkey, with approximately 2,000 of them losing their lives each year in the process, according to statistics released from the World Health Organization (WHO). 

A total of 4,552 organ transplants were made in 2015 in Turkey, the statistics also showed.

“The United States and European countries are leaders in organ transplantation,” said Eyüp Kahveci, the head of Turkey’s Transplant Foundation, adding that the ratio of donations from a live donor was 75 percent.

“A total of 4,552 transplants were made in Turkey in 2015. Some 3,405 of them were from live donors. That means the ratio of donations from a live donor is 75 percent in our country. Because Turkey is insufficient in terms of donations from people who are braindead, it’s ahead with transplants from live donors. We’ve been in first spot in the world in kidney transplants from live donors for the last three years,” he also said. 

While noting that Turkey was third after South Korea and Iran in liver transplants, Kahveci added that Turkey was worse than Iran in terms of organ donations.

“There were a total of 700 donors in 2015 in Iran. Organs were transplanted from 472 donors in our country in the same year. That means that we are worse than Iran in organ donations,” he noted. 

Kahveci said Turkey’s medical infrastructure was at a “high level.”

“When our success in kidney and liver transplants from live donors is taken into account, we can be a model country in the world if organ donations reach a sufficient level,” he also said. 

According to statistics, 3,203 kidney, 3,155 cornea, 1,215 liver, 89 heart, 29 lung, seven pancreas and six small intestine transplants were conducted last year. 

The ratio of organ transplants from cadavers should definitely be increased, Kahveci said, but added that societal awareness on the issue must also be increased. 

He also noted that organ donations were compatible with Islam, according to Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).