Health Minister, Michael Damianos, announced on Friday that the Council of Ministers approved kidney and lung transplantation agreements to be signed on 19 September 2024 with the Greek government.
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting, Damianos noted that the agreements “constitute particularly important developments in the field of transplants.”
Through these agreements, Damianos stated, “our collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the Hellenic Republic is strengthened, with the ultimate goal of improving the care of our patients and increasing the chances of finding compatible donors.”
Damianos said that the first agreement is for cross kidney transplants. This, he said, is an initiative that will allow the exchange of organs between Cyprus and Greece in cases of incompatibility between donor and recipient, offering a new solution to patients who would otherwise find it difficult to receive a transplant.
“This collaboration is expected to increase the success rate of such surgeries and contribute su
bstantially to improving the quality of life of our patients,” he said.
The Health Minister said also that the second agreement concerns the field of lung transplants and establishes the framework for performing transplants on adult Cypriot patients in Greece’s transplantation centres.
Furthermore, Damianos said, the agreement includes the possibility of offering organs that are not used in Cyprus to the Hellenic Society of Organ Transplantation. This arrangement, he continued, ensures that the organs available will be used in the best possible way, while contributing to the strengthening of cooperation with Greece.
“These agreements are a crucial step in strengthening healthcare and promoting our cooperation with other countries in the field of transplantation for the benefit of our patients,” he said.
Source: Cyprus News Agency