http://www.granma.cu/ingles/cuba-i/23agost-transplants.html
Havana. August 23, 2012
More than 5,000 kidney transplants
in Cuba
Iris de Armas Padrino
SINCE the early 1970’s, to date, some 5,100 kidney transplants have been
performed in Cuba, with survival rates similar to those in developed countries,
according to a Havana expert.
Dr. Alexander Mármol, from the Ministry of Public Health’s national transplant
office, reported that almost 400 of these surgeries involved live donors, close
family members such as siblings, parents or children.
The nephrologist reported that the donation rate in Cuba is high, thanks to a
successful program to obtain organs, also contributing to a low rejection rate.
Dr. Mármol, coordinator of the national kidney transplant program, said that
94% of the kidneys transplanted come from deceased donors and praised the
sensitivity of the population, usually willing to offer the organs of loved
ones who have died, to extend the lives of others.
There are 2,700 dialysis patients in the country and this figure is increasing
10% annually, since the contributing causes of renal failure, high blood
pressure and diabetes mellitus, are noticeably increasing as a result of poor
lifestyle habits, he said.
He explained that studies in Cuba have determined that each of these dialysis
patients, who receive treatment every other day, costs the country $20,000 a
year. There are 47 hospitals in the country offering this service, including
those in rural mountainous regions, he added.
International research has shown that a kidney transplant is three times less
costly than providing patients dialysis, or an artificial kidney, as the
procedure is also called, the expert commented. (AIN)
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