The Balearic Islands registered 54 organ donors last year, the same figure that was achieved in 2021 and which represents a rate of 46 donors per million inhabitants, so that the archipelago, as a whole, is situated in the national average. This was explained today by the acting councillor for Health and Consumer Affairs, Patricia Gómez, who stressed that the Balearic Islands is a national benchmark in organ donations by foreigners and also highlighted the good evolution of liver transplants.

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Organ donors

At a press conference together with the deputy director of Hospitals of the Balearic Islands Health Service, Paco Albertí, and the regional transplant coordinator, Miguel Agudo, Patricia Gómez pointed out that in the case of Mallorca, where 43 donors were registered (almost 80% of donors in the Balearic Islands), the rate is above the national average, with 48 donors per million.

He has also highlighted the good data from the Pitiusas, where it has increased from 2 donors in 2021 to 7 in 2022, which represents almost 13% of the donors of the Balearic Islands. The rate of the Pitiusas stands at 45 donors per million inhabitants.

In the case of Menorca, 4 donors were registered, one less than in 2021, which represents 7.4% of the total of the islands and a rate of 41 donors per million.

The 54 donors (36 in encephalic death and 18 in controlled asystole) have made it possible to extract 100 kidneys, 31 livers, 8 hearts, 10 lungs and 4 pancreas. Also, 68 corneas and bone tissue have been obtained from 17 donors.

The acting councillor pointed out that donations from foreigners currently stand out in the Balearic Islands. Last year, almost 1 out of every 4 donors was foreign, a total of 13, or 24% of the total.

Likewise, he said, the community is a national benchmark in terms of detection from private clinics (with 11.1% of all cases), well above the national average, which is 1%.

On the other hand, this year has seen the start of the donation programme for people who have requested euthanasia, and a first donation has already taken place.

Good progress in liver transplants

In terms of transplants, the good performance of liver transplants stands out. In 2022, 7 transplants were performed and so far in 2023, 7 have also been performed. 70 kidney transplants were also performed, 4 more than in 2021. By islands, 56 were from Mallorca, 9 from Ibiza and 5 from Menorca.

Gómez congratulated all the professionals involved in this process “so complex and which requires maximum coordination, enormous specialisation and professionalism and a very high level of excellence”. He also thanked all the people who have donated their organs and given life to others, as well as the families who have made it possible.

At present, he said, the figures are almost pre-pandemic ─in 2023 there have been 23 multi-organ donors, 30 kidney transplants and 7 liver transplants─ and he encouraged professionals to continue their admirable work.