–transplant agency aims to bridge gap in organ donation
THE Guyana Organ and Tissue Transplant Agency is currently undertaking the process of formalizing and accrediting institutions as transplant centres in Guyana.

Dr. Navindranauth Rambaran, the Director of Medical and Professional Services at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), commented on the recently formed agency during an interview on the Ministry of Health’s “Health Matters” programme.

The establishment of the agency occurred subsequent to the successful enactment of the Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Bill, which provides the necessary legal framework for the retrieval of human organs, tissues, cells, and biofluids for the purposes of transplantation and blood transfusion.

In the course of the airing, Dr. Rambaran expressed that the GPHC has, and intends to maintain, its transplantation services. Nevertheless, as a result of the introduction of the oversight agency, the hospital underwent a certification procedure to obtain official recognition.

He said, “After having undergone a self-study and reporting and have an inspectorate do a thorough inspection of the SOPs the protocols, the infrastructure, the human and material resources that are available, we have been certified to be competent to offer transplant services.”

However, according to him, the arrival of the agency has triggered a paradigm shift, expanding the scope to include both live donor transplants and cadaveric transplants.
Cadaveric transplants involve the utilization of organs from a donor who has been pronounced brain dead and has given consent for his/her organs to be donated to those in need.

“We use the organ for those persons who would have wanted their organs to be used at their families’ consent where these persons were deemed to be brain dead on a ventilator,” he said.

In accordance with this objective, Dr. Rambaran stated that a systematic procedure will be followed to determine the eligibility of individuals as potential donors. Subsequently, an additional evaluation would be conducted to assess their suitability, followed by approaching their families.

He clarified that, with the family’s consent, the donation process is initiated, followed by the subsequent transplant, with the ultimate purpose of granting hope and a chance at life to a deserving individual.
In January 2022, the bill that had been introduced in the assembly the previous year was approved by the National Assembly.

According to the passage, the bill incorporated measures to establish an agency responsible for overseeing the removal, donation, and transfer of human organs to patients requiring them.

The agency is expected to collaborate with authorized hospitals to co-ordinate surgeries and develop operating protocols. Additionally, the agency will be responsible for conducting public awareness campaigns regarding consent for organ donation and utilization.

The bill also notes that transplantations are to be used in regenerative medicine including cell therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and other therapeutic purposes; for medical education and scientific research purposes, including stem cell research, cell explant research, and cell line research; and for connected matters.