More People Cling to Life with the Theme of "Life-Saving Permission" in Organ Donation
Dr. Yavuz Selim Çınar, President of the Organ Transplant Coordinators Association (ONKOD), highlighted the importance of organ donation during an interview with AA correspondent. He reminded that the first week of November, from the 3rd to the 9th, is celebrated as Organ Donation Week.
Dr. Çınar shared that many events are organized throughout the year, with this year's theme focusing on "Life-saving Permission."
Emphasizing the significance of organ donation, Dr. Çınar said, "This permission can save the lives of up to 8 patients. For people waiting for a transplant, this permission is invaluable."
Dr. Çınar mentioned that approximately 26,000 patients in Turkey are waiting for organ transplants and continued, "We often talk about numbers, but these are real people. Our state places an incredible amount of importance on this issue. All organ transplantation and donation processes in our country are performed free of charge. Our government spends millions of liras on organ transplants, all to save a life. Of course, to carry out such an operation, organ donation is crucial. If people do not donate, no matter how much money is spent, organ transplantation cannot be performed."
Dr. Çınar pointed out that individuals over the age of 18 with sound mental health can donate their organs in just a 3-minute procedure at any healthcare facility.
"More Than Double the Increase in the Last 8 Years"
When discussing organ transplants, Dr. Çınar noted that they assess the number of donors per million population, stating, "In Turkey, we have around 7 donors per million people, while in EU countries, this number is 15-20. In 2010, the rate in our country was 3 per million. By 2018, it had risen to 7. In the last 8 years, it has more than doubled. Our target for the next 5 years is to bring this ratio closer to the EU level, or perhaps even surpass it."
Dr. Çınar also emphasized the low chances of organ transplantation for patients in Turkey, stating, "A patient waiting for an organ transplant has a 7 out of a million chance, about the same as winning the lottery. The more donations there are, the higher the chances of transplantation will be. Currently, the chance of receiving a cadaveric transplant in our country is as low as a lottery prize."
"We Aim to Perform More Than 50% of Transplants from Cadavers"
Dr. Çınar stated that around 4-5 thousand transplants take place annually in Turkey. "There are about 26,000 patients waiting for organs. Our goal is for these patients to leave the waiting list not by passing away, but by receiving a transplant and returning to health," he said.
He emphasized that the biggest challenge in Turkey is the insufficiency of cadaveric organ donations. Currently, 80% of transplants are performed from living donors. In contrast, 70-80% of organ transplants in Europe are cadaveric. Dr. Çınar added, "Unfortunately, patients who cannot receive a living donor transplant pass away. As awareness grows, we expect donation numbers to increase. We aim to perform more than 50% of transplants from cadavers. We believe we can achieve this. The people of our country love to donate. We just need to communicate this message to the right people. We believe we will make great progress in the coming period. As a country, we hope to match, and even surpass, EU numbers."
The information provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. Please consult with your doctor for personalized treatment recommendations and professional medical guidance.