LAST year saw a record-breaking number of heart and lung transplant operations carried out in Ireland.
There are now over 3,000 people enjoying extended life as a result of organ transplantation here but the opportunity to foster greater links with Northern Ireland to improve rates has been proposed as a
‘win win’ situation for both sides of the border.
The Chief Executive of the Irish Kidney Association (IKA), Mark Murphy, said that although such a partnership with Northern Ireland might take some years to realise, many more people north and south would benefit from transplantation as a result, and considerable financial savings could be achieved for both health services.
“Last year we transplanted 3.35 organs per deceased donor but only 1.56 organs, less than half our figure, were transplanted into Northern Ireland patients, despite their excellent retrieval levels of four organs per donor,
? he said.
“I believe the all-Ireland rates of organ transplantation could be greatly enhanced especially for hearts, lungs and liver.
“All the north’s heart, lungs and liver patients are required to travel to the UK for their transplant operations. The shorter the time an organ is outside a body the greater the potential there is for its transplant success and longevity.
“Our access to the UK for complex kidney transplants and the paired kidney exchange programme could be conducted in Belfast instead of Coventry. An all Ireland partnership would offer scientific, geographical and financial advantages while increasing the number of transplants carried out.
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Mr Murphy was speaking at the national launch of Organ Donor Awareness Week 2015 that was attended by the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar, in the Mansion House
The life saving awareness campaign is organised by the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) and will continue until April 4.
During the week IKA volunteers will be distributing organ donor cards and selling
‘forget-me-not flower’ emblems in towns and villages throughout the country.
In his address, Minister Varadkar said:
“An organ transplant can make an enormous difference to a patient, and to the lives of those around them.
“That’s why Organ Donor Awareness Week is an important annual event. Although Ireland has a reasonably strong record on organ donation, I would like to see our rates rise to levels seen in other European countries.
“In 2014 the number of deceased donors was lower than in 2013, but we performed well in terms of maximising the number of organs that were transplanted.
“A total of 251 transplants were performed thanks to the generosity of 63 deceased donors and 40 living donors.
“Last year I launched a new scheme to reimburse the expenses of living donors. And additional funding of almost
?¬3m has been provided to the HSE’s Organ Donation and Transplant Office to develop the most appropriate infrastructure for organ donation and transplantation.
“This includes 19 whole-time-equivalent staff dedicated to organ donation and transplantation across the country.
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There was a sharp decline in the number of deceased donors in 2014 from its previous year, 63 as compared with 86 in 2013. In total 251 people received organ transplants in 2014 as compared to 294 in 2013.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of heart transplantation and the 10th anniversary of lung transplantation at the Mater Hospital.
In 2014, despite a poor organ donation rate, the Mater Hospital surpassed itself for heart and lung transplantation with a record year for transplantation with a total of 49 operations taking place.
Last year was a record year for paediatric kidney transplants in Ireland with a total of 19 children receiving kidney transplants. Now only 16 children are receiving dialysis treatment, 11 less than a year ago.
However, at the end of 2014 there were 74 more adults on dialysis than a year earlier reflecting the poor kidney transplanting figures of 2014 because of the low number of deceased organ donors.
Since the Living Donor Kidney Programme commenced at Beaumont Hospital eight years ago a total of 195 living donor kidney transplants have taken place. Nowadays a quarter of all kidney transplants are from living donors with a record 40 being carried out last year.