Justina, this summer is a record in donors and organ transplants – 26/02/2019

As for organ donation and transplantation, 2019 started with the momentum that left a record in 2018. Between January and February, 261 organ transplants and 221 corneal transplants have 130 donors, making this period the best first quarter of history. "It was a wonderful start to the year," says Alberto Maceira, president of the coordinator of the unique and central national institute of ablation and implant (Incucai).

According to agency reports, in January there were 70 actual donors, while the average of the last decade for this month was 45. Until now, this month of February – which is already party – there were 60. A total of 130 donation processes that mark 30% growth over the best January-February record (with 100 processes). A more than encouraging fact if one takes into account that for this period, statistics still show a decrease in purchases and organ transplants, says Incucai.

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During these two months, 169 kidney transplants, 67 liver transplants, 10 heart transplants, 9 pancreas, 2 lung transplants, 2 hepatorenal vessels and 1 cardiorenal were performed. 221 corneal donations were also made. Currently, 7581 people are on the waiting list76% are waiting for a kidney transplant.

Half of the donors corresponded to the provinces of Buenos Aires (30.8%), the federal capital (12.3%) and Santa Fe (10%). But if we take into account the number of donors per million inhabitants, they are currently at the head of Entre Ríos, Tucumán and Capital. Although these are dynamic results that must be badyzed with caution because they will certainly be modified at the end of the year, the undisputed data is that In the first two months of 2019, donation processes were carried out in more than half of the country.. "In the summer, we always started with three or four more active provinces, then the rest was added, and we now have 16," said Maceira. Clarin.

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The big break occurred last July with the adoption of the Organ, Tissue and Cell Transplant Act 27,447 (better known as Justina Law) by the 12-year-old girl who died at the Foundation Favaloro waiting for a heart and whose family led the project). "It has proven to be a powerful tool that has generated a positive impact in favor of donation, strengthened the system and streamlined processes," said Maceira.

In August, the month of the entry into force of the regulation (regulated in January), a record 88 organ donations was recorded. And 2018 closed with a new record: 701 donation processes were completed (18% more than the 630 of the previous year) thanks to which 1,681 people accepted a transplant. Thus, Argentina has reached the rate of 15.75 donors per million inhabitants, the highest in its history, reaffirming it as a benchmark in the region for donor generation and transplantation.

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According to Maceira, the release was consolidated by many factors, with the new law being an engine of exclusion: "We think the health system is now reacting with a dynamic that it did not have with the previous law.This combination meant that the last half of the previous year and the first two months have exploded on the part of donors ".

To support the growth indicators recorded, the activity did not take a vacation. "We continue to work in January and February as if it were in May: communicating with hospital coordinators, managing meetings with hospital directors, and not having a break in purchasing management. We continue to work for the health system in the same way that we do throughout the year and this strategy has delivered this result, "he said.

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The President of Incucai hopes that a new record will be broken this year, although he admits that many challenges remain to be met. The main: maintain quantity and aim for quality, precise "We want every donor to give more organs, the organs come in better conditions, more people have access to waiting lists to be grafted." 'a process of change that will take us at least three or four years, but starting this way makes us very happy.'

Less rejection of family members

The new law establishes that anyone capable of more than 18 years is a donor of organs and tissues, except that in life, he has left traces of the contrary. The rejection, according to the historical records of the body, remains very poor. 75% of will expressions are positive and only 25% negative; percentages that, according to Maceira, were not changed with the approval of the new law.

The opposition of the families of deceased persons to donations also decreased: "It went from 45% to 16%. The law freed the family from the decision, "Maceira concludes.

The manifestation of the will can be realized in INCUCAI, the RENAPER, the registries of civil status, the provincial agencies of ablation and implantation, the official mail or the digital profile of My Argentina.