Doctors at Central Military Hospital 108 performed multi-tissue and organ transplants. — Photo courtesy of the hospital

HÀ NỘI — In 2024, Việt Nam set a record in the number of organ donations with 41 families agreeing to donate their loved one's organ tissue after brain death.

The numbers were revealed at a workshop on January 7, held by the National Organ Transplant Coordination Centre, to review the tissue and organ donation network from brain-dead people in 2024 and to set the path for 2025.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Health Trần Văn Thuấn said 2024 was a significant year, one which saw the number of organ transplants rise sharply, along with exceptional medical expertise in Vietnamese medicine.

To date, after more than 30 years of performing organ transplants, with the first kidney transplant in 1992, Vietnam has performed 9,516 cases nationwide, with the participation of 27 hospitals and centres.

Deputy Minister Thuấn said that over the past three years, Việt Nam yearly has successfully performed about 1,000 organ transplants, the highest in Southeast Asia. However, organ donation and transplantation still do not meet all the needs of sick people.

To date, after more than 30 years of performing organ transplants, with the first kidney transplant in 1992, Việt Nam has performed 9,516 cases nationwide with the participation of 27 hospitals and centres.

Associate Professor Đồng Văn Hệ, Director of the National Organ Transplant Coordination Centre, said that in three years (2021, 2022, 2023), the whole country had 36 organ donations from brain-dead donors. In 2024 alone, there were 41 brain-dead people whose families agreed to donate tissues and organs.

"In 2024, the number of organ transplants from brain-dead donors increased sharply compared to 2023. At the same time, the number of people registering to donate organ tissue after death/brain death increased three times. This is considered a record for organ donation in Việt Nam," said Associate Professor Hệ.

The director said that in 2025, the National Organ Transplant Coordination Centre will coordinate with relevant agencies and units to develop a draft law amending and supplementing some articles of the Law on taking human tissue and organ transplantation and body donation and retrieval. In particular, it will propose allowing donations from children and people whose heart ceases.

“If this proposal is approved, it will likely increase the source of donated organs, increasing the chance of survival for many other patients, especially children,” added Associate Professor Hệ.

Experts said that the Vietnam Social Security will also consider paying 100 per cent of the cost of a kidney transplant, including all steps from consultation and advocacy to transplant and post-transplant treatment.

According to statistics from the social insurance agency, organ transplant costs are significantly lower than medical treatment for a kidney failure patient. For example, the cost of a kidney transplant and post-treatment is only half the daily treatment cost when the patient is on dialysis. The life of a kidney transplant recipient is longer and their quality of life is better. — VNS