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NATIONAL TRANSPLANT ORGANIZATION OF SPAIN – Reference for National Donation and Transplant Systems in the Americas

Organ transplant

Promoting Altruistic Donation and Equitable, Quality Access to Organ, Tissue and Cell Transplants

PAHO and the National Transplant Organization of Spain Join Forces to Strengthen Regional Capacities for Donation and Transplants

With more than 30 years of experience, the National Transplant Organization (ONT) is a national technical body, under Spain's Ministry of Health, responsible for developing procedures for the procurement and clinical use of organs, tissues, and cells by establishing quality and safety requirements. The ONT promotes altruistic donation so that people who require a transplant have the best possible opportunity and conditions for securing one.

The ONT is internationally renowned and has established itself in the European and global health system as a leading reference body for donation and transplants, receiving hundreds of requests for cooperation from institutions and professionals throughout the world. Thanks to its broad expertise, several countries have adopted its organizational model in whole or in part.

The cooperative relationship between the ONT and the World Health Organization began in 2008, when the ONT was designated a Collaborating Center, with an important presence in Latin America. This partnership was consolidated with the creation of the Ibero-American Network/Council on Donation and Transplantation (RCIDT), which aims to bring together different initiatives concerned with donation and transplantation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Strengthening national donation and transplantation plans in the Region

In 2018, the ONT, together with PAHO and RCIDT, worked on the construction and subsequent approval of the Strategy and Plan of Action on Donation and Equitable Access to Organ, Tissue, and Cell Transplants (2019–2030). Approved by PAHO Member States, its objective was to strengthen governance, improve information management, increase availability, and secure equitable access to organ, tissue, and cell transplants in the health systems of the countries of the Region.

Since then, progress has been made in strengthening the approach, exchanging experiences, and providing technical advice to Member States. The partnership with the ONT has also made possible the mobilization of resources for the development of regional events in search of strengthening the countries' capacities. International meetings have been held in Cuba and Argentina, along with training in donation and transplantation. This has occurred under different modalities, including the training of experts in donation as part of end-of-life care, and a course on governance of national donation and transplant systems.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, several joint activities have been carried out to guide countries in reactivating and maintaining donation and transplantation services, as well ensuring continued implementation of the strategy and plan of action. This collaboration has been of vital importance, since donation and transplants in Latin America and the Caribbean declined considerably due to the emergency situation, with 2020 donation rates dropping to 2014 levels.

The prestige and leadership of the ONT, regionally and globally, along with its extensive network of partners, make it a strategic partner for PAHO in strengthening national donation systems, thus ensuring equitable, quality access to organ, tissue, and cell transplants in the countries of the Region of the Americas. In addition to possessing the relevant technical expertise and knowledge of the regional and national context, the ONT and PAHO are seeking to expand their areas of collaboration for even greater impact.

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