In 2022, in Mexico, organ and tissue donations recorded a 3 percent recovery, after the negative impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Érika Rivera Durón, area manager at the Coordination and Transplantation of Organs, Tissues and Cells of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).
During the pandemic, the number of donations and transplants decreased considerably worldwide. However, this year, compared to 2019 (where there was no pandemic), it has been verified that there has been a three percent increase in donations.
In Mexico there are 22 thousand patients on the waiting list
However, this official reiterated that currently, nationwide, there are 22,000 patients on the waiting list for an organ, where 65 percent are beneficiaries of the institute.
At the end of September, the National Organ Donation Week is celebrated in Mexico, and Social Security carried out the national campaign “Suma vida, dona organos”, which tries to make people aware of donation, to be altruistic , to be supportive towards everyone who needs it.
The organ donation process is totally altruistic.
Rivera Durán also pointed out that this campaign aims to influence people to keep in mind that “we no longer require these organs when we die, but they do provide life expectancy for those on the waiting list. We emphasize the donation process, which is altruistic, non-profit, transparent and in accordance with the law, from the moment an organ is donated until it is transplanted”.
As of September 2022, Social Security had made 825 donations: 154 multi-organ and 671 tissue, out of an estimated goal of 1,150 by the end of that year. In transplants, until September 16, the following had been performed: 885 kidney; 801 cornea; 270 bone marrow; 50 liver and 21 heart.