Director of the National Center for the Promotion of Organ Transplantation (French: CNPTO) Taieb Ben Abdallah said Thursday that the number of organ donations is low compared to demand in Tunisia, stating that the needs are estimated annually at 200 liver transplants, 50 heart transplants and 20 lung transplants.

He revealed during a press conference held at the municipality of Tunis devoted to the presentation of the World and National Day of awareness of organ donation which coincides with October 17, that 14 thousand kidney patients in Tunisia are put on dialysis and 1644 are registered on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.

Regarding the transplantation of organs, he stressed that 2,033 kidney transplants have been performed in Tunisia since 1986, 17 heart transplants and 70 liver transplants including 14 children transplanted.

In addition, Ben Abdallah said that the number of citizens who have added on their identity cards the mention of donors has exceeded 12 thousand, noting that this number is insufficient compared to the number of inhabitants in Tunisia.

For her part, Mayor of Tunis, Souad Abderrahim said that the celebration of the World and Nationa Organ Donation Day is part of the partnership between the municipality and the components of civil society, and the program Tunis, health city.

She mentioned that this initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation, given the insufficient number of donors and the reluctance of some citizens, while a large number of patients are registered on the waiting list.

The programme of this day includes an awareness campaign on October 16 and 17 on organ transplantation and cultural and artistic components.

Source: Tap News Agency