Number of transplants grows 12.7% in first half

The number of transplants performed in Brazil in the first half of this year increased 12.7% over the same period last year. Between January and June 2012, 12,287 transplants were performed against 10,905 in the first six months of 2011.

Among the states, Acre recorded the highest increase (1,033%), followed by Amazonas (217%), Pará (104%), the Federal District (76%) and Pernambuco (74%). In absolute numbers, São Paulo 4754 transplants performed, followed by Minas Gerais, in 1097, the Paraná, with 937 at Rio Grande do Sul, with 777, and Pernambuco, with 767.

Lung transplantation has had the biggest increase (100%), followed by heart (29%), bone marrow (17%), kidney (14%) of the cornea (13%) and liver (13%) . In the specific case of corneal transplantation, six states were able to clear the queue: Acre, Paraná, Espírito Santo, Rio Grande do Norte, Sao Paulo and the Federal District.

Data from the Ministry of Health show that the number of organ donors also increased from 997 in 2011 to 1,217 in 2012 (22%).

For the coordinator of the National Transplant System, Heder Murari, sustained growth rates of transplants performed in the country represents a victory for the public health system. This is one of the programs of the Unified Health System (SUS) that performs the fairness and completeness of the provided assistance, he said.

The Health Minister Alexandre Padilha, said that the growth in the number of donors is directly linked to the feeling of confidence in a public system of transplants. The combination of these two steps is critical for us to maintain this growth is sustainable and which can guarantee the expansion of transplants and reduce queuing in the country, he said.

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