People in Taiwan in need of organ transplants face long waits, and unhopeful circumstances. Despite being in a strong position technology-wise to perform transplants, Taiwan lacks the most important thing: donors.
Video script:
Former Taiwanese politicians are traveling to China for liver transplants, with claims that they can’t wait any longer for their transplants to be done locally. With excellent healthcare and transplant surgery, can it really take that long to get a donation match?
Meet the kidney dialysis patient, Mr. Chen (陳). Chen’s kidneys were injured as a result of high blood pressure– now he must visit the hospital every two days for dialysis. The procedure makes traveling locally difficult, and abroad almost impossible.
Despite having all the technology in place for transplants, Taiwan is lacking the most important thing: donors.
To find a donor, blood-type testing and matching must be done. For Chen, that involves blood draws every six months for a panel. Chen has been on the waitlist for a kidney donor for almost six years, and so far has had no news.
According to statistics from the Health Ministry, in 2013 Taiwan had nearly 11,350 people waiting for organ donations– including livers, and corneas, and 8,699 people waiting for kidney donations. As for donors, the number was a paltry 199– not even 10% compared to the number of people in need.
In 2018, the number of overseas organ transplants was 141, of which 135 took place in China– almost 70%. That makes China the largest organ “source country” for Taiwanese in need.
In recent years, the number of overseas transplants has plummeted to 50 post-pandemic. Some of those in need are fortunate enough to have family members donate the organs they need. Others, like former legislator Wang Shih-hsiung (王世雄), were able to buy their health for NT$8 million. However, for most people– like Mr. Chen– the only option is to wait for a glimmer of hope.
Amanda Stephens, for Rti News