In commemoration of World Transplant Patients’ Day, the Ombudsman’s Office made an urgent call to citizens to become aware of the importance of registering as a donor
In accordance with Law 1805 of 2016, we are all organ and tissue donors in the country, so the entity indicates that this decision must be discussed by Colombians with their families and loved ones, so that, once they leave this earthly plane, your choice be respected.
According to figures from the National Institute of Health (INS), as of December 31 of the previous year, 3,696 people were waiting for a kidney; 176, a liver; 60, one lung; 15, a heart; one, an intestine; two, a pancreas, two kidneys and a heart; seven, a kidney and liver, and 43, a kidney and a pancreas. With this, the number of recipients on the organ waiting list in 2023 was 4,002, while in 2022 it was 3,663, which means an increase of 9.2%.
Also the previous year, 1,394 people were transplanted in Colombia; 1090 of them were recipients of organs from cadaveric donors and 304 from living donors. By tissues, the country presents an increase in donors of 24%, compared to 2022.
In relation to the previous panorama, the Ombudsman’s Office calls on the national Government and the actors of the health system to work on increasing and reinforcing dissemination and promotion campaigns related to this crucial issue.
“For many patients with chronic or terminal illnesses, transplants represent their only hope for life. That is why it is important to promote a culture of organ and tissue donation, so that patients on the waiting list have the opportunity to continue living,” says the entity’s statement.
