Law to ease body parts donation

April 18, 2006

HA NOI -- Health experts are speeding up the process of passing a law that would regulate the taking and transplanting of body tissue, organs and corneas in Viet Nam.

A recent survey revealed last week it is necessary to strengthen education programmes in order to raise the awareness of the community and change their misperception and attitudes about the donation of body tissue, organs and corneas.

The survey was conducted by the Health Strategy and Policy Institute (HSTI) and the Institute of Sociology and Psychology for Management and Leadership and the Orbis International Viet Nam.

According to the survey, most people have heard about body tissue, organ and cornea transplantation. However, registering to donate body tissue, organs and corneas after death is still a new concept for most people in the community.

"There was low acceptance of allowing family members or relatives to donate tissue, organs (15.7 per cent) and corneas (9.8 per cent). The acceptance rate was higher if the donation was undertaken after death, especially for corneas: 53.5 per cent consented to tissue or organs donation and 54.6 per cent for cornea donation," the survey stated.

Director of HSTI, Dam Viet Cuong, said currently in Viet Nam nearly 1,500 people lost their lives because there were no organs available for transplantation.

"In 2005 the Ministry of Health submitted the draft ordinance on the donation and transplant of tissue and organs to the National Assembly for approval. It is hoped that when passed, the law will solve the problem of lack of tissue and organ supplies and save the lives of many patients who have been waiting for a long time for transplants," Cuong said.

Viet Nam has about 400,000 - 500,000 people in need of cornea transplants, but the cornea supply is very small, mainly supplied by donor organisations and from homeless people who have died," the survey said.

In the master plan for internal organ transplants through the year 2010, Viet Nam has set a target of perfoming 1,000 kidney transplants, 80-100 liver transplants, 20-30 heart transplants and 10-15 lung transplants each year.

In Viet Nam, the first kidney transplant was perfomed at the Military Hospital 103 in 1990. To date, a total of 157 people have received kidney transplants. Currently, there are 10 facilities that can perform organ transplants. -- VNS

Copyright © 2006 Viet Nam News, Vietnam News Agency 11 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi, Vietnam.

This article posted May 22, 2006.