PM approves new centre for organ, tissue transplants

The centre will be set up with state funding for scientific and technological development during the 2016-21 period, as proposed by the ministries of defence and science and technology.

The Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies have been asked to arrange and disburse proper funding for the project. The Ministry of National Defence and 108 Institute of Clinical Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences under 108 Military Hospital have been asked to complete the project procedures. The National Coordination Centre for Organ Transplantation was established at Viet Duc Hospital in 2013. It connects donors of organs with those waiting for organ transplants. There are 13 hospitals across the country that can carry out organ transplants.

Vietnamese doctors have conducted 1,500 kidney, 50 liver and 13 heart transplants so far.

Vietnam passed a law relating to organ donation in 2006. However, the number of clinically-dead patients whose organs have been donated is extremely low. About 99.4 percent of the organ transplants in Vietnam are done with organs donated by living people, while the remaining 0.6% is conducted with organs donated by brain-dead people.

The first organ transplant involving a brain-dead donor was conducted at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in 2010. Since then, similar surgeries have been carried out at Viet Duc Hospital, Military Medical Academy and Hue Central Hospital. Organs harvested from 35 clinically-dead patients were donated to 100 other people.