On January 2, 2025, the Central Military Hospital 108 performed its first organ transplants of the new year. The heart, liver, and two corneas from a 63-year-old brain-dead female patient were harvested and transplanted into four patients at the hospital, while two of her kidneys were sent to Cho Ray Hospital. All recipients are currently recovering well.
Earlier, on December 31, 2024, at Hung Yen Provincial General Hospital, two kidneys were successfully transplanted from a 39-year-old man who died from meningitis, bringing life to two patients.
On December 24 and 25, 2024, at Phu Tho Provincial General Hospital, two families consented to donate organs from their brain-dead relatives, helping to revive twelve patients suffering from severe illnesses.
On December 17, 2024, a 47-year-old man in Binh Duong passed away due to brain death. His family agreed to donate his liver, kidneys, corneas, and even his body for medical research.
According to statistics from the Vietnam Tissue and Organ Donation Advocacy Association, in 2024, 31 families agreed to donate their loved one's organ tissue after brain death, setting a record in the number of organ donations over the past three decades.
Phu Tho Hospital in particular reported five organ donation cases, showing a positive change in community awareness about posthumous organ donation in rural and mountainous areas.
To date, Vietnam has conducted over 8,000 organ transplants, providing life to thousands of patients. With 29 transplant hospitals nationwide, Vietnam has mastered advanced techniques, offering hope for patients with severe diseases.
Organ donation, once viewed with scepticism, has now become a noble act embraced by many young people.
Fourteen years ago, Vietnam made history with its first liver transplant from a brain-dead donor. This milestone marked a significant development in the country's transplantation field.
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Doctors of the Central Lung Hospital perform a lung transplant (Photo: VN+) |
Tran Ngoc Thanh, who received that liver at age 59 in Dien Bien, has lived healthily. At that time, the patient suffered from cirrhosis and liver cancer and had almost no chance of survival. Thanks to the organ donor’s generous act and the skills of medical professionals, the transplant was successful. The patient not only recovered but has maintained good health over the years.
The revival journey of those with severe illnesses and thousands of blind individuals regaining sight is not only a testament to the meaning of posthumous organ donation but also an invaluable gift filled with humanity.
There is a significant demand for tissue and organ transplants in Vietnam. Approximately 6,000 people are waiting for kidney transplants, over 1,500 are waiting for liver transplants, and around 300,000 are blind and require corneal transplants.
However, the supply of donated organs - especially from brain-dead individuals - remains limited. Statistics show that 96% of current organ transplants come from living donors, and only 4% are from brain-dead donors. Each day about 300 people die from brain death, however, most of their organs are not utilised.
Despite improved awareness regarding organ donation, psychological barriers and traditional beliefs still pose challenges.
Additionally, while the Law on Human Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation enacted in 2006 provides a legal framework for this practice, many regulations remain insufficiently detailed or unclear.
Under current regulations, even if a donor has pre-registered their intent to donate their organs after death, doctors must still obtain family consent. The objection of just one family member can halt the organ donation process.
Therefore, enhancing community awareness is essential to ensure registered donors can fulfil their wishes posthumously. When people understand the noble significance of organ donation in saving lives for others, resistance against fulfilling the deceased loved ones’ wishes is likely to diminish. This approach fosters continuity of life and spreads love and sharing even after a donor has left the world.