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3 clusters · 35 sources · 6 days · First seen · Last updated

Organ donation awareness and transplant demand in Turkey

Overview

During Organ Donation Week, observed from November 3 to 9, health officials in Turkey continue to address a critical shortage of organ donors. More than 33,000 patients are currently on waiting lists, with 28,790 specifically awaiting kidney or liver transplants. While Turkey maintains high rates for living donor transplants, it lags behind European standards for cadaveric donations. The donation rate per million people in Turkey remains approximately 5 to 6, compared to the European Union average of 15 to 20.

Health Minister Kemal Memişoğlu reported that approximately 5,000 transplants were performed in the last year across 152 active centers. Digital integration through e-Devlet and e-Nabız has significantly impacted the field, leading to a threefold increase in donation declarations and bringing the total number of registered donors close to 1 million. However, medical experts emphasize that digital declarations must be accompanied by communication with family members to prevent uncertainty following brain death.

Ahead of the Transplantation 2026 Congress in Denizli, experts from the Turkish Association of Organ Transplantation Coordination Organizations (TONKKD) highlighted a significant imbalance: 80 percent of transplants in Turkey currently use living donors, whereas in many developed nations, cadaveric donations account for 80 percent of transplants. Prof. Dr. Kamil Yalçın Polat noted that religious beliefs are not a barrier, as the Presidency of Religious Affairs views organ donation as a “significant act of charity.”

To support awareness, regional activities have been organized, such as an underwater demonstration by police divers in Samsun to represent the struggle of lung transplant patients. Experts warn that approximately 2,500 people die annually in Turkey due to a lack of suitable donors, including nearly 600 children on waiting lists.

Entities

Ministry of Health · Turkey · Erzurum · Organ Transplant Coordinators Association · Abdullah Can

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 13 sources
    Turkey medical experts call for increased cadaveric organ donation

    Turkish medical experts are urging a societal shift toward cadaveric organ donation to support the 30,000 patients currently on waiting lists and reduce the annual death toll caused by donor shortages.

  2. [HEALTH] 24 sources
    Turkey organ transplant waiting list reaches 33,000 patients

    Over 33,000 patients in Turkey are awaiting organ transplants. While digital donation declarations have tripled, officials urge more cadaveric donations to meet the high demand for kidney and liver transplants.

  3. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Erzurum health officials call for organ donation during awareness week

    Health officials in Erzurum are launching an awareness campaign for Organ Donation Week, encouraging citizens to register as donors via the e-Nabız application.

Sources

akishaber.com.tr · aksiyon.com.tr · ams.at · avrupagazete.co.uk · begleitschreiben.net · cumhuriyet.com.tr · gazeteabc.com · gazetearena.com · gazetedamga.com.tr · gazetepasinler.com · gazetepusula.net · gazeterize.com · guneydoguekspres.com · haber1.com · haberdenizli.com · haberinyildizi.com · haberler.com · haberport.com · icetickets.dk · istikbalgazetesi.com · kemergozcu.com · kocatepegazetesi.com · konyayenigun.com · malatyaguncel.com · medyahaber.com · mersinhaber.com · ozdiyarbakirgazetesi.com · rayhaber.com · sabah.com.tr · skolfederation.se · sondakika.com · takagazete.com.tr · wwj.co.jp · yenialanya.com · yeniyolgazetesi.com

This summary has been updated 5 times: see revision history