The number of organ donations from deceased donors is increasing. The biggest progress was recorded by the provincial hospital in Kielce

In 2023, the Poltransplant Coordination Office handled 756 applications of potential deceased organ donors. There were 116 more than in the previous year and 200 more than in 2021. Organ donation occurred in 74 percent of the cases.

Potential donors were reported from 148 medical entities in the country. There were 6 more than in the previous year. The number of the most active hospitals from which 10 or more actual organ donors were reported was 17. The largest number, 29 donors, was identified at the University Clinical Center in Gdansk, which has been the national leader for years. In contrast, the largest increase in donation activity was recorded at the Regional Hospital in Kielce.

- Only a few years ago, the Świętokrzyskie province was a white spot on the map of Polish transplantation, and now our hospital is at the forefront of those with the highest number of organs harvested. What is happening is the result of the enormous commitment of a very large team. These are personnel representing various professions: nurses, doctors indicating potential donors or teams adjudicating death. The team of the anesthesiology and intensive care department works perfectly, and we also have a very efficient and extremely committed transplant coordinator, Wieslawa Saladra. A potential donor undergoes a number of meticulous tests, so the work of the laboratories cannot be overestimated either. A place at the national top is a credit to this entire team, which is always on standby whenever the need arises. We also express our admiration and respect for the donor's families, because there are always discussions with the relatives and it is important for us to know their position in such a situation," says Anna Mazur-Kałuża, spokesperson for the Regional Hospital in Kielce, in an interview with Medexpress.

As a spokesman for the hospital points out, in 2023 the hospital performed donations from 16 deceased donors, from whom 65 organs were obtained. 5 donors were disqualified for clinical reasons.

- It is worth noting that organs from more than a dozen deceased people have saved the lives of dozens of seriously ill people. This year was also a breakthrough for the region. More than 80 organ donations were made. Also in 2023, lungs taken from a person who died in our hospital were transported to Germany, since no recipient was found in Poland," adds Anna Mazur-Kałuża, and says that important events for Kielce transplantology also took place this year.

- In July, we had a simultaneous organ procurement from two donors, which was logistically complicated. It is also noteworthy that at that time we performed the 50th and 51st kidney transplants at our hospital," the spokesman points out.

Meanwhile, according to Poltransplant, there were 5,428 active patients registered at the end of 2023, including 1,854 waiting for organ transplants. There were 1,193 patients waiting for a kidney transplant, 37 for kidney and pancreas, 161 for liver, 415 for heart, 133 for lung and 3,463 for cornea.