Over 3,500 Vietnamese Sign up for Organ Donations as of End-2015

Up to 3,542 Vietnamese across the country have registered to donate their organs for the purpose of transplantation into another person as of December 31, 2015, of which male volunteers account for 57.9% and female 42.1%, local media reported citing official data. The National Center for Coordinating Human Organ Transplants, the first of its kind in the country founded at the Vietnam-Germany Hospital in June 2013, reported that as of end-2015 there were 2,348 people signing up for organ donations at the center. By September 30 last year, Vietnam had reportedly conducted 1,116 kidney transplants, 48 liver transplants, 13 heart transplants, one kidney-bone marrow transplant and one heart-lung transplant. The demand for organ transplantation has been rising strongly in recent years. Data in the past five years showed that there are 1,500 cases in need of liver transplants in Hanoi while there are 4,000-5,000 cases nationwide. The figure is likely even bigger now, not counting 1,400 people needing cornea transplants and another 6,000 needing kidney transplants. Vietnam has an average of 11,000 people die from traffic accidents a year, the highest rate in the world. Of the number, at least one third are determined to be brain dead. Dr. Trinh Hong Son, deputy director of the Vietnam-Germany Hospital, said that if people are educated of the importance of organ donation and transplantation before their accidents, they will give the chance to save many other patients. Currently, doctors at hospitals in Hanoi are seeking people volunteering to engage in a head-to-body transplant. The Vietnam-Germany Hospital, considered the country’s largest surgical center, is looking for disabled people whose body is paralyzed but brain remains active and those who are willing to undergo the surgery. “I must emphasize that Vietnam is not prepared for performing head transplant surgery itself, but we are ready to seek people who will donate and receive the head,” Dr. Son said, adding that “if the world’s first-ever human head transplant is a success, we will be willing to invite the doctor team behind that surgery to do it in Vietnam, especially when there is a demand for it.” (tuoitrenews.vn Jan 12, motthegioi.vn Jan 12, Giao Thong - Transport Jan 13 p10)