Italian Transplant Programs Expand: Lecce Kidney Center Reactivated, Cardarelli Stem‑Cell Unit Accredited

The ASL of Lecce reactivated its renal transplant centre at Vito Fazzi Hospital, integrating it into the inter‑agency Department of Kidney Transplant (DITRE) alongside Bari and Foggia hospitals. The centre will provide full‑cycle kidney transplant care for patients in Southern Puglia, with multidisciplinary support from urology, nephrology, anesthesia, intensive care and vascular surgery teams. Regional transplant chief Loreto Gesualdo highlighted the network’s aim to improve access and quality for nephropathy patients, while ASL director Capochiani stressed the benefit of delivering high‑specialisation services closer to home.

Separately, the Cardarelli Hospital’s hematopoietic stem‑cell transplant programme obtained JACIE international accreditation, confirming compliance with rigorous European quality and safety standards. Director Antonio d’Amore noted the credential underscores the centre’s capacity to treat patients within Campania without needing to travel abroad, and the accreditation covers donor‑recipient coordination, staff training and advanced cellular therapies such as CAR‑T.