Madrid Leads Organ Donation in Spain with Historic 62% Increase

A significant advance in organ donation

The Community of Madrid has positioned itself as a benchmark in the field of organ donation, recording an impressive increase of 62% in the last five years. This growth has allowed for a rate exceeding 40 donors per million inhabitants, representing a notable advance in public health and social well-being.

One of the key factors behind this increase is the growing use of the technique known as controlled asystole, which has seen an astonishing growth of 300%. This methodology allows for the artificial maintenance of blood flow after death, ensuring that the organs remain oxygenated and viable for subsequent transplantation.

The Health Minister, Fátima Matute, highlighted that Madrid not only leads in quantitative terms but also in qualitative terms, being able to perform transplants in both adults and children. “Our community is a pioneer and has the highest donation activity in Spain,” Matute stated, who also emphasized interregional collaboration: “We transplant people from other communities and receive organs for our patients.”

As the number of donations grows, so does the need for more specialised experts. The minister stressed that it is crucial to incorporate more nurses and midwives as well as trained healthcare personnel to address the new challenges that arise with this constant evolution.

In commemoration of the National Day of Organ and Tissue Donors, celebrated every first Wednesday of June, various activities have been carried out to honour those who have chosen to donate. In this context, Matute received representatives from patient associations and presented a comic titled Story of a Donation, designed to thank donors and their families for their generosity.

Through the comic created by Alba Mateos, the aim is to educate the public on how this altruistic act can save lives. The initiative comes from the Regional Office for Transplant Coordination, which also promotes the use of the Virtual Health Card, allowing citizens to express their willingness to be donors.