Increasing number of corneal transplant cases

Medical news October 16: Number of corneal transplant cases increasing

Since May, the number of organ donations from brain-dead people has increased threefold, and organ transplants, including corneal transplants, have increased by 10% compared to the previous period.

The number of corneal transplants is increasing.

At the seminar on sharing experiences in collecting and coordinating corneas from Vietnam and Singapore organized by the National Organ Transplant Coordination Center and Hanoi Eye Hospital 2, Associate Professor, Dr. Hoang Thi Minh Chau, Director of the Tissue Bank, Hanoi Eye Hospital 2 said that in just 8 months, the hospital has collected 57 corneas from many sources. Of which, 2 were donated domestically, the rest were donated corneas from eye banks in the US.

Delegates attending the seminar shared experiences in collecting and coordinating corneas from Vietnam and Singapore.

Hanoi Eye Hospital 2 alone successfully performed 42 corneal transplants, bringing light to patients. The remaining were transferred to other hospitals.

General information about the corneal transplant situation in Vietnam recently, according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, President of the Vietnam Organ and Tissue Donation Association, from May until now, the number of organ donations from brain-dead people has increased 3 times, organ transplants including corneal transplants have increased by 10% compared to the previous period.

However, there are still some difficulties because Vietnam currently has only two medical facilities capable of collecting and transplanting corneas nationwide; besides, the number of donated corneas is small.

In addition to domestic donations, Vietnam receives corneas from abroad. However, customs procedures and cornea preservation are difficult because the cornea is not a specimen, not a device, or a microorganism sample, but a living tissue that needs to be preserved.

Therefore, Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien proposed that the authorities and cornea collection and transplant facilities need to make an official recommendation to the Ministry of Health and the General Department of Customs to facilitate procedures to transfer corneas from abroad to Vietnam for early transplant to patients.

We know that those who have passed away can donate corneas to bring light to two other people, that is very meaningful and needs to be encouraged.

According to Dr. Howard Cajucom-Uy, representative of the Singapore Eye Bank, Singapore has enacted the Organ Donation and Transplantation Law since 2004, and it was completed in 2010. They established the Tissue and Cornea Bank before us, have more favorable financial and legal mechanisms than us, and have more investment in technology, techniques and policies... so their donor resources are relatively good.

In Vietnam, corneal transplantation has been performed since 2007. To date, more than 3,000 people have received corneal transplants, of which more than 50% are from community donors, mainly concentrated in Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh..., with the highest number being 169 people in 2020.

To date, more than 20 provinces and cities have had people donate corneas after death. However, the number of people blind due to corneal diseases is very large, about more than 30,000 people, but the number of transplants is very small. Among the patients waiting for cornea transplants, most are in the age group of 30-60, including children.

According to the report of the National Organ Transplant Coordination Center, from 2010 to 2020, each year our country has 10-11 cases of brain death organ donation. In 2023 alone, there will be 14 cases of brain death organ donation.

However, in the first 9 months of 2024, there were 25 cases of brain-dead people donating tissues and organs, contributing to an increase in the number of organs donated from brain-dead people to 87/892 transplant patients (equivalent to 10.49%). This is considered a record number in Vietnam because previously, the rate of organ donation from brain-dead people was only about 5-6%.

As of September 2024, after 32 years of implementing organ transplants and 14 years of taking organs from brain-dead donors, the country has recorded 180 cases of brain-dead organ donations. In 2023, Vietnam will transplant organs to 1,000 people, making our country the country with the most organ transplant recipients in Southeast Asia.

TV spot on the harmful effects of e-cigarettes

The Ministry of Health has just simultaneously broadcast 3 TV Spots to attract the attention of the audience, especially young people, about the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes on the media and VTV channel.

TV Spots realistically depict the consequences and harmful effects of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products to convey the message to viewers that they need to stop smoking immediately, and if they haven't smoked yet, they shouldn't use them.

At the same time, it is recommended that there should be a policy to increase tobacco taxes to reduce consumer access, especially among adolescents, with the aim of protecting families and communities.

The first TV Spot will be broadcast on VTV from September 24 to November 26, 2024 with the content "Don't let E-cigarettes/Heated Tobacco Products ruin future generations":

The five key messages of the campaign, which aired in the TV spot, are: If you think e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are safe, think again.

Using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products can cause lung, heart and brain damage, especially in young people.

Like regular cigarettes, heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes also emit toxic chemicals such as nitrosamines and hydrocarbons found in car exhaust and pesticides that cause cancer.

Using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products quickly causes nicotine addiction and makes it difficult to quit. Say no to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to protect the younger generation.

Increase tobacco tax to protect our lives and families: The second TV Spot on the tobacco tax increase campaign will be broadcast from October 10 to December 31, 2024 on media and VTV channel.

The main message this TV Spot wants to spread is: Smoking comes at a very high cost.

Cigarette smoke is a silent killer that destroys your body, causes lung cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease and also seriously affects the health and happiness of those around you.

Smoking and secondhand smoke are both dangerous to your health and the health of your loved ones. Don't let your loved ones pay the price for your smoking! Quit smoking today for yourself and your family!

Ho Chi Minh City: Number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases increasing

Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control updated information on the situation of dengue fever and hand, foot and mouth disease in the area as of week 41 of 2024 (from October 7 to 13).

Accordingly, in week 41, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 488 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, an increase of 21.2% compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks. The total number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases accumulated from the beginning of 2024 to week 41 is 13,247 cases. Districts with high number of cases per 100,000 people include Binh Chanh district, Nha Be district and District 8.

In week 41, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 484 cases of dengue fever, an increase of 24.7% compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks. The total number of dengue fever cases accumulated from the beginning of 2024 to week 41 is 8,709 cases. Districts with high number of cases per 100,000 people include District 1, District 7 and Thu Duc City.

In week 41, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 137 measles cases, an increase of 42.3% compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks (96.3 cases). The total number of measles cases accumulated from the beginning of the year to week 41 is 1,079 cases. Localities with high number of cases include Binh Chanh district, Binh Tan district and Thu Duc city.

As of October 13, Ho Chi Minh City only has two districts that have not yet reached a measles vaccination rate of 95% or higher.

Regarding the vaccination situation, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, on October 13, the city administered a total of 369 measles vaccine doses at 85 vaccination sites. Thus, up to now, 99.91% of children aged 1-10 who have not yet received all measles vaccine doses have been vaccinated.

As of October 13, the total number of measles vaccinations in Ho Chi Minh City was 219,850.

Of which, children aged 1-5 years old have received 46,132 injections (100%), and children aged 6-10 years old have received 147,216 injections (99.73%). The measles vaccination campaign has achieved 99.91% of the plan.

Currently, there are still 2 districts with measles vaccination rates below 95%, including District 3 and Can Gio District. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has requested the People's Committees of these two localities to speed up the progress to achieve the campaign's goals. For districts that have reached a rate of 95% or higher, it is necessary to maintain updates on the situation of displaced children to avoid missing unvaccinated children in the area.

According to HCDC, the total number of suspected measles rash fever cases recorded in the area to date is 1,378 (571 measles cases confirmed by laboratory testing, 528 clinically suspected measles cases and 279 cases excluded from measles).

Ho Chi Minh City first announced a measles epidemic on August 27, 2024, and launched a measles vaccination campaign for children aged 1-10 years old throughout the city. Initially, the city planned to declare the end of the measles epidemic in September 2024, but by the deadline, the required vaccination rate had not yet been reached.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/tin-moi-y-te-ngay-1610-tang-cao-so-ca-benh-duoc-ghep-giac-mac-d227558.html