Iran hits key milestones in organ transplantation
Over 6,000 liver, 5,000 kidney transplants performed
Iran’s medical community has achieved significant milestones in organ transplantation, with over 6,000 successful liver transplants and 5,000 kidney transplants performed in recent years, according to Iraj Fazel, the chairman of the Iranian Association of Surgeons.
Fazel praised Iran’s medical community for expanding organ transplantation capacity throughout the country, citing it as the most crucial step in achieving success, IRNA reported.
He emphasized that Iran’s medical community is in an elevated position due to its remarkable progress in organ transplantation.
The surgeon also noted a growing trend of transplants for less fortunate patients in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iran has established stringent regulations against the purchase and sale of body parts and prohibited foreign nationals from undergoing organ transplantation in the country, he said. These measures have contributed to Iran’s success in organ transplantation.
Fazel spoke out against the illegal trade of human organs, stating that it violates the law and has been globally prohibited.
His comments come ahead of the upcoming 44th Conference of the Iranian Association of Surgeons, which is set to take place from May 13–17 in Tehran.
He highlighted the importance of honoring pioneers and made a request to name a street or square in the southern city of Shiraz after Professor Ali Malek-Hosseini, who is known as Iran’s liver transplant pioneer and is also a distinguished professor at the Shiraz University of Sciences.
Fazel commended Dr. Malek-Hosseini for his contribution to the field of liver transplantation, calling him one of the top five liver transplant surgeons in the world.
Malek-Hosseini currently treats patients and trains doctors at Shiraz’s Namazi Hospital, which is one of Iran’s prestigious liver transplant centers.
The Ministry of Health’s report shows that all types of transplants including liver, intestine, pancreas, kidney, heart, and lung transplants are being carried out in Iran. Liver transplants are conducted in twelve departments, while kidney transplants are performed in thirty centers. Heart transplants are done in eleven centers.