Cuba hosts World Organ, Tissue and Transplant Donation Day meeting

Representatives of almost 40 countries and from the Pan American and World Health Organizations (PAHO/WHO) gathered in Havana for the Ibero-American Network/Council of Donation and Transplantation (RCIDT) meeting, and will also celebrate today the World Day for Donation of Organs, Tissue and Transplantation.

Dr. Antonio Enamorado, national coordinator of the Transplant Program of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, told ACN that this event took place from Nov 18-20 at the International Health Center Las Praderas and pointed out that Cuba is founder of this organization since 1992.

Since 2005, every October 14, is commemorated the World Day for Donation of Organs, Tissues and Transplantions, date established by WHO, with the purpose of encouraging people to be donors and thus save the lives of people less lucky in terms of physical health.

Cuba has a donation rate between 13 and 14 per million inhabitants, making it one of the first countries in Latin America, the expert said.

Since 1972, solid organ transplants began in the Caribbean nation with kidney transplantation, a program that has never stopped, and in the mid-1980s the first heart transplant was carried out, as well as liver, bone marrow and cornea transplants, among others, Enamorado added.

These medical practices have been affected by the US blockade, both in the supplies to carry them out, as well as the technology to obtain a better quality, however Cuba makes great efforts to guarantee for life the high quality immunosuppressors to all patients and to which it allocates millions of dollars.