Nepal Launches Online Platform to Connect Organ Transplant Patients and Donors

Nepal has launched a new online platform to provide crucial information to patients in need of organ transplants and potential donors across the country. The initiative, developed through a collaboration between the Department of Health Services, the Ministry of Health and Population, and the Sahid Dharmabhakta National Transplant Centre, was inaugurated by Minister for Health and Population, Pradip Paudel, on Monday. The service aims to make it easier for citizens to access transplant-related information.

Minister Paudel emphasized that the service would be a significant convenience for citizens and highlighted the success of kidney and lung transplants in Nepal. He noted that 98% of kidney transplant recipients and 90% of lung transplant recipients are now living normal lives. The government remains committed to expanding transplant services further.

Dr. Pukar Chandra Shrestha, Chief of the Transplant Centre, shared that the Centre had conducted 1,335 kidney transplants and 30 lung transplants over the past 12 years. Despite this, the Centre can only accommodate around 200 kidney transplant cases annually, while approximately 3,000 patients seek the service each year. The new online platform is expected to improve access to information and help address the growing demand for organ transplants in Nepal.