HUNGARY: Record Organ Transplants Achieved Amidst Declining Wait Times In 2024

WORLD NEWS: Hungary is witnessing a pivotal development in its organ transplantation landscape, as reported by Mihály Sándor, the Transplant Director of the National Blood Supply Service. In the past year, the service received 230 donor reports from 46 hospitals, resulting in 157 deceased donors contributing organs for transplantation across 42 hospitals. This accounted for the removal of 491 organs from deceased donors and 52 from living donors for transplant purposes, highlighting significant activity in the field.

The critical nature of organ transplantation as both life-saving and life-enhancing is indisputable. Sándor emphasizes that increasing the number of both deceased and living donors is key to enhancing the availability of transplants. In Hungary, by the end of the year, 1,304 patients awaited transplants, with kidney transplants particularly in high demand. For many patients, kidney transplants serve not just as vital procedures but also as critical improvements in life quality, owing to their effectiveness as an alternative to dialysis treatments.

The medical community in Hungary prioritizes life-saving transplants such as liver, heart, and lung procedures, where no alternative therapies exist. Most transplants still rely heavily on organs sourced from deceased donors, underscoring the importance of understanding local legislation on presumed consent. If a person has not explicitly refused organ and tissue donation in writing before death, it is presumed that consent is granted. This principle is pivotal to ensuring a robust organ donation system.

An established registry facilitates formal objections to organ donation, allowing individuals to record their decisions. This system underscores the fundamental right of every person to determine the fate of their organs posthumously. Support for organ donation is widespread among Hungarian and European citizens, many of whom express willingness to donate in aid of transplantation efforts. In Hungary, all primary transplantation types, including kidney, liver, heart, lung, and pancreas, are available, promising a hopeful outlook for reduced waiting times for patients in 2024.

First published 2025-01-29 05:04:46


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