For donations and transplants of organs, tissues and cells, 2023 was unprecedented: in the year just concluded, the activity of the Italian transplant network achieved the best results ever achieved in the history of our country in practically all indicators.
For the first time, organ donations exceeded the two thousand mark, standing at 2,042 (+11.6%), while transplants surpassed the wall, hitherto never crossed, of 4,000 operations in a year: in 2023, 4,462 transplants were carried out of organs, 586 more than in 2022 (+15.1%).
These are not only the highest absolute figures ever, but also the highest annual growth percentages ever achieved.
The data were presented by the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci and the director of the National Transplant Center Massimo Cardillo at the opening of the General States of the Transplant Network.
The increase in withdrawals has brought the national donation rate to 28.2 donors per million people, well above the historic maximum of 24.6 recorded in 2022. With this result, Italy has separated itself from France and is placed in the second place among the major European countries by number of donors, behind Spain.
Supporting the performance are above all the results of three regions: Emilia Romagna with 51.1 PMP donors (+4.7), Veneto with 46.4 (+10.1) and Tuscany with 45.6.
The rates in Sardinia, Piedmont and Marche are also excellent, while the southern regions lag behind.
As regards transplants, the growth in interventions affected all specialties: in 2023, 2,245 kidney transplants were carried out (+10.4%), 1,696 liver (+14.7%), 186 lung transplants (+33 .8%), 40 pancreas transplants (+5.3%) but above all 370 heart transplants compared to 253 last year (+46.2%).
Furthermore, the constant improvement in the outcomes of the interventions is still confirmed.
In absolute terms, Lombardy was the region that carried out the highest number of transplants (827) while in relation to the population the record goes to Veneto (140.9 transplants per million inhabitants) followed by Piedmont and Emilia Romagna.
In the south, the growth recorded by Puglia is significant, going from 29.7 to 46.9 transplants per million inhabitants in one year.
Schillaci: 'Strengthen the culture of donation'
Since 1966, the year in which the first organ transplant in Italy was performed at the Policlinico Umberto I in Rome, "a journey began that has given life back to thousands of people thanks to the very high skills of the professionals involved in this field complex and to the growing generosity of Italians. The extraordinary results achieved in the transplant field must make us proud and stimulate us to continue with renewed commitment to make the transplant network increasingly efficient and safe, as well as to strengthen the culture of donation, essential for offering to patients waiting for a transplant a second life or a better life perspective".
The Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci said this in his speech at the presentation of the data on donations and transplants for 2023 in Rome.
"In Italy - adds the minister - there are many patients waiting and the need is not yet fully satisfied. This is due to some critical issues that still persist and which we are committed to overcoming: I am thinking, in particular, of the regional differences that exist in the donation rate between North and South and the rates of opposition to the collection, the only indicators that have remained substantially unchanged. Without donation there can be no transplant and for this reason it remains essential to launch all the necessary initiatives so that more and more people become available to donate".
"In this regard - continues Schillaci - an important innovation is expected in 2024, that of the activation of the Cie digital portal which will allow citizens to register their declaration directly from home and not only in the registry offices. Just as they are of the citizen awareness and information initiatives that we have carried out in recent years and which we intend to implement are strategic, also enhancing synergies with the Regions and Municipalities as well as collaboration with scientific entities, specialist societies, donor associations, doctors family and all the professionals of the proximity networks, equipped with a direct and trusting relationship with people. Promoting the culture of donation - he concludes - is a priority objective".
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA