The authorities are preparing a register of refusals so as to realize why the relatives of potential brain-dead organ donors do not allow organs to be taken from these. The Moldovans do not want to donate organs for religious reasons and also because they fear organ trafficking. There is also a system problem as in Moldova there are few qualified specialists who can identify brain-dead organ donors, the director of the Transplant Agency Vladimir Bolocan stated for RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service, being quoted by IPN.
According to him, all over the country there are only four coordinators who work with transplant teams, at the National Hospital and Saint Trinity Hospital in Chisinau and at the Orhei and Hâncești District Hospitals. “We do not have specialists who would inform about brain-dead patients from whom organs can be taken. For example, the coordinator of the Emergency Medicine Institute died and it took over half a year to train two specialists, who haven’t taken up their duties yet. At the Neurology and Neurosurgery Institute, there is no coordinator. The director promised he will identify a person,” stated Vladimir Bolocan.
Last year, Moldova joined an information system through which the member states inform about the organs they can offer for being transplanted to the other counties. So far, no organ was taken from these countries. “Under international agreements, we have access to organ exchanges, but priority is given to patients from countries of origin. Lungs and hearts are available, but they do not transplant these organs in our country,” said the director of the Transplant Agency.
Adrian Hotineanu, surgeon specialized in liver transplant, told RFE/RL’s Moldova’s Service that there is a problem with brain-dead organ donors. “Normally, the donors are in hospitals, but we are not informed about these cases. We are the team that performs transplants only. We have specialists, equipment, but do not have donors. I think it comes to the system, not to people,” stated the surgeon.
Two organ transplants were performed in Moldova so far this year – a liver transplant and a kidney transplant. There are over 100 persons on waiting lists.
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