In the Republic of Moldova, more than 75 patients are waiting their turn for a liver or kidney transplant, yet their chance at a new life still depends on the availability of donors. Since the beginning of this year, 10 transplants have been performed in the country, seven of which were liver and three kidney, twice as many as last year.
The Director of the Transplant Agency, Grigore Romanciuc, told IPN that the most requested are kidney and liver transplants, as renal and hepatic insufficiencies are the most common conditions leading patients to the terminal stage. “Without a donor, there can be no transplant. This is one of the biggest challenges we face. At the same time, there is not enough information in society about what donation means and why it is so important,” said Grigore Romanciuc.
At present, 25 people are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant and over 50 for a liver one. The waiting time varies depending on the compatibility between the patient and the available organ. “We have situations when a patient who has been on the waiting list for a month or two, can go for a transplant, because the harvested organ is perfect for him. And unfortunately, we have cases when some patients stay longer on the waiting list,” explained the agency’s director.
At the same time, he explained that this phenomenon is practically present in all countries, including Western ones, such as France and Germany, where hundreds of patients annually do not get to benefit from a transplant due to their incurable or extremely serious condition.
Currently, in the Republic of Moldova, three hospitals are authorized for organ harvesting, and the medical equipment meets international standards. However, internal organ transplants are only performed at the “Timofei Moșneaga” Republican Clinical Hospital. “We have excellent conditions and very well-trained specialists, but the main problem remains the lack of donors,” emphasized Grigore Romanciuc.
According to him, donations can be made both by living individuals and by donors in a state of brain death, with the consent of their relatives. Before the pandemic, about 60-65% of the families of those in brain death agreed to organ donation, but these percentages have significantly decreased since then. “The pandemic has hit the transplant field hard, as many medical centers have become COVID hospitals. Since then, society has been more hesitant, and we need to restart the discussions about donation,” mentioned Grigore Romanciuc.
The Director of the Transplant Agency believes that it is necessary for the subject of donation to be constantly promoted. “It is very important that donation is promoted. Perhaps over time we can organize more campaigns on this subject and, possibly, start a discussion in society about what donation is, what it serves for, why it is necessary to save a life that, perhaps, someone does not know,” explains the director of the agency.
To streamline the process and ensure transparency, this year saw the launch of the automated information system “Transplant”, which connects medical institutions with the Transplant Agency in real time. This new system facilitates the rapid identification of compatible donors and the monitoring of the entire harvesting and transplant process. “We hope that this system will add value to the entire transplant process in the country,” said Grigore Romanciuc.
The first transplant operation in the Republic of Moldova was performed in 1982, while the first pediatric transplant took place in 2018.
