Two organ donors enable ten transplants

Punta de Europa Hospital, Algeciras

ALGECIRAS (Agencies) The families of two separate donors recently enabled two life-saving transplants and an improvement in quality of life for another eight. In the first half of July, the Punta de Europa Hospital in Algeciras obtained permission from relatives that resulted in two liver transplants, four kidneys and four cornea operations at various hospitals in the province and in Andalucía. Luis Vallejo, head transplant coordinator for the region, said that these donations put into operation a network of 40 health workers in different areas, all of whom saw this as a wonderful opportunity to improve the lives of many patients. He also thanked the families concerned, "who made a difficult decision in painful circumstances." Vallejo also called on others to consider becoming organ donors "as you never know when one might be needed." (Do you know how to become an organ donor in Spain? Watch this space.) So far this year, the various health facilities in the Campo de Gibraltar have registered five donations of organs and tissue, which is an improvement on the same period last year and is expected to increase even further by the end of the year. As to the province as a whole,>>>
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there have been a total of 23 donations, mainly at the Puerta del Mar Hospital in Cádiz, which is a reference point in the matter, having carried out 35 kidney transplants, two of which were from live donors.


While Spain is recognized as a European leader in organ donations, Andalucía tops that list within the country. The index of donations here is 33.2 per million of population, double that of the average in the EU (18 per million), above that of the USA (26) and close to that of Spain as a whole (32).

These excellent results were achieved, according to Luis Vallejo, thanks to the fact that awareness and approval of donations has reached index points of 78%, just slightly under last year's figure. This means that the campaigns that achieved these levels will continue, with the support of the Coordinación Autonómica de Trasplantes, patients' associations and the public in general.

(See Living and Dying in Southern Spain)