SSM exports 15 patients for organ transplantation in past four years

Between 2018 and 2022, 15 patients in Macau have been sent elsewhere for organ transplants, Acting Director Cheang Seng Ip of the Health Bureau (SSM) has told lawmaker Ron Lam.

In his response to Lam’s earlier inquiry, the health official said the 15 patients were to receive either a liver, heart or kidney transplant. Among them, nine have undergone the operation, two were awaiting the operation, three were evaluated as not having an immediate need, while one patient declined transplant rights.

He also added that in 2016, the bureau administered the city’s first live organ transplant. Afterwards, the bureau has sought appropriate matches for these procedures, but in vain.

Besides asking for figures, the lawmaker also suspected the bureau had been playing with words. The bureau has previously told lawmakers that no terminal kidney failure patients in Macau had died due to lack of appropriate treatment. Lam found this evading the key question of patients succumbing to a lack of organ transplants.

To this, Cheang said no patients have so far died because of the lack of organ transplants. He said terminal kidney failure patients have been receiving substitute therapies, such as hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

On the supply of organs, the lawmaker criticized the bureau for not doing enough to promote and educate people about organ donation. He expressly referred to the lack of updates on the bureau’s organ donation website since 2018 to support his criticism.

Cheang blamed the Covid-19 pandemic – which started in 2020 – as the main reason for halted promotion. He added that “the website’s main function is to provide information on organ donation to residents, who can also register their intention on the website. The website also provides real-time figures of partial and complete registrants.”

As of May 8 this year, 5,738 people have registered their intention for donation with the local database, with 4,086 of them having completed full registration procedures.

Cheang said Macau had not seen a registered organ donor have their intentions dishonored after being identified as brain dead.