The Ministry of Health will issue five circulars and decrees on viscera transplant and establish a centre to coordinate viscera transplant in Vietnam, said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen.

Xuyen said that Vietnam has had 12 viscera transplant centers, which conducted viscera transplants for 400 patients, using organs donated by living people.

By the end of November 2011, Vietnam performed only 17 kidney, 15 liver transplants and 1 heart transplant.  The operations operations that used organs donated by deceased individuals.

The number of people who donate their viscera after death is very low but the need for viscera transplants is on the rise. Vietnam has had the Law on viscera donation since 2007.

Prof. Francis L. Delmonico, Chairman of the International Viscera Transplant Association, said that Vietnam needs to further improve social awareness of viscera donation and has to have policies to protect and take care of visceral donors and recipients.

He also suggested that Vietnam to add viscera transplants to the national health program to transparently and fairly coordinate the supply of viscera for patients.

Up to 79 percent of viscera transplant operations in Europe use organs donated by deceased individuals. The rates are 60 percent in America, 44 percent in Australia and less than 10 percent in Africa and Asia.

PV