World Organ Donation and Transplantation Day: Ukrainian doctors performed over 2,000 transplants in five years
October 17 has been marked globally as World Organ Donation and Transplantation Day—a day that serves as a reminder that donation saves lives.
For Ukraine, this date has particular importance reflecting the rapid development of the national transplantation system even during wartime and saving an increasing number of lives each year.
The active development of transplantation in Ukraine began in 2021, coinciding with significant challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and, later, the full-scale war. Despite this, Ukrainian health professionals continued to work and develop the field of high-tech medical assistance, providing hope and a chance for life when it seems impossible.
Over the past five years, a total of 2,291 transplant procedures have been performed in Ukraine, including 207 for children. Ukrainian health professionals transplant heart, kidney, liver, and lung, as well as perform simultaneous multi-organ transplants from both related and unrelated donors—for example, a heart and a kidney, or a heart and lungs.
Bone marrow (hematopoietic stem cell) transplantation is also performed in Ukraine. This procedure is used to treat severe oncohematological diseases such as leukemia, aplastic anemia, and lymphoma.
“Today, transplantation in Ukraine is a fully functioning system. Twenty-five medical centers are involved in organ transplantation, and surgeries have resumed in Zaporizhzhia despite its proximity to the frontline. The entire cycle of care—from preparation to post-operative follow-up—is provided free of charge to patients. These services are funded by the state under the Medical Guarantees Program.”
On World Organ Donation and Transplantation Day, the Minister took part in several events dedicated to the achievements of Ukraine’s transplant system and engaged in conversations with healthcare professionals and patients whose lives have been saved by organ transplants.
To mark the occasion, a special event called the “Breakfast of Gratitude” was held at a restaurant in Kyiv, where children living with transplanted organs shared their dreams and successes with the doctors who helped save their lives. The breakfast dishes were prepared by the children themselves, in collaboration with the team of Ukrainian chef and restaurateur Yevhen Klopotenko.
The occasion served as a reminder of the rekindled taste for life that transplant recipients have experienced, as the most challenging obstacles have been overcome as a result of organ donation. Following transplant surgeries, both adults and children are capable of returning to active lives, including enjoying simple, yet meaningful moments, such as tasting their favorite food.
For years now, the National Children’s Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdyt” has remained one of the leaders in organ transplantation in Ukraine.
In observance of the day, Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, and Viktor Liashko, the Minister of Health, met with patients who are now living with donor organs at “Okhmatdyt” hospital. They talked to children, families, and medical professionals who have all shared a challenging journey, from being diagnosed to waiting for a transplant.
“Our doctors are not only learning—they are now able to share unique expertise, because transplantation in Ukraine is being carried out under extreme conditions. Medical professionals have learned to perform these procedures during russian attacks and even amid power outages. Being at ‘Okhmatdyt’ today, surrounded by heroic patients and medical staff, I am reminded that organ donation is often called the highest form of humanity. Because by giving a part of themselves, one person literally saves another.”
Over the past five years, 87 children at “Okhmatdyt” hospital have received a new chance for life through organ transplantation. The health professionals have performed 54 kidney transplants and 33 liver transplants for children from across various regions of Ukraine.
As a reminder, Ukraine’s transplantation system operates within the Unified State Transplantation Information System (EDIST), which ensures the transparent allocation of donor organs and the fair formation of the waiting list. Currently, 4,128 Ukrainian citizens are on the national transplant waiting list, including 114 children.
Organ donation saves lives; one donor can save between three and eight patients by donating their organs after death. We extend our gratitude to all those who give adults and children in Ukraine the chance to live: to the doctors, to the donors and their families, and to everyone who supports the development of transplantation in Ukraine.