Mato Grosso reports rapid cornea transplant wait times

In Mato Grosso, Brazil, patients awaiting cornea transplants through the Unified Health System (SUS) experience an average wait time of up to two weeks. This figure is significantly lower than the Brazilian national average of 370 days, according to the Brazilian Council of Ophthalmology (CBO).

As of September 14, 2026, 24 patients were on the waiting list in the state. Between January and August 2026, the state performed 206 free cornea transplants via SUS. The State Transplant Center (CET), managed by the State Health Secretariat (SES), reports that the number of patients waiting in Mato Grosso is low relative to the state's population.

Anita Ricarda da Silva, coordinator of the CET, attributed the speed of service to the collaborative work of donation and transplant teams. The state emphasizes that cornea procurement can occur in both public and private hospitals following brain death or cardiac arrest, provided family authorization is granted.