Amid the multidimensional crisis and the Complex Humanitarian Emergency in Venezuela, aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspension of the Organ Procurement Program has had a very significant impact on the population that needs a transplant to recover their health and quality of life, especially children and teenagers.

Until mid-2014, the National Transplant Organization (ONTV) was the manager of the System for the Procurement of Organs for Transplants (SPOT). However, the Ministry of Health suspended its functions that year and created the Venezuelan Foundation for Donations and Transplants of Organs, Tissues, and Cells (FUNDAVENE), attached to said Ministry, and gave it the function of organ procurement.

A fall in the number of transplants has been taking place since then, culminating in the notification made by FUNDAVENE of the suspension of the cadaveric donor program in the country, starting June 1, 2017, due to its inability to guarantee the supply of immunosuppressants, a treatment needed to prevent the recipient’s body from rejecting the new organ or tissue.

The irregular supply of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs, shortcomings in pre-transplant treatments, deficiencies in the hospital network, the deterioration of health services, and the migration of qualified personnel are some of the reasons that further contributed to the suspension of the SPOT program and, far from being solved, these problems have worsened over time.

The ONTV estimates that kidney patients in conditions of receiving a  transplant have lost in these four years 960 opportunities to improve their health and quality of life, including 150 children and teenagers that are always considered a priority in Transplant Programs to avoid complications derived from chronic kidney disease and guarantee their access to healthcare.

People who are currently receiving treatment in hemodialysis units have also seen a significant deterioration in their health condition because in many cases they receive fewer hours of dialysis due to the irregular supply of water, the reduction of personnel, the unavailability of medications and supplies, or transportation problems. All in all, they must continue to carry out dialysis three times a week, without the hope of having the opportunity of receiving a transplant.

Additionally, the vulnerable situation of people who have already received a transplant has increased due to irregular access to immunosuppressant protocols and the lack of vaccination against Covid-19. Amid the pandemic, they should be considered a high-risk group, together with people undergoing dialysis.

The organizations that sign this Statement request the State to reactivate the Transplant Program in the Country, guarantee the supply of immunosuppressants and the ideal conditions throughout the process.

Signatories:

  • Acceso a la Justicia
  • Acción Solidaria
  • ACCSI Acción Ciudadana Contra el SIDA
  • AMBAR Asociación Civil
  • Amigos Trasplantados de Venezuela
  • Asociación Civil Mujeres en Línea
  • Asociación Civil Vida y Luz (Asoviluz)
  • Asociación de Liderazgo para Las Mujeres
  • Asociación de Trasplantes de Venezuela
  • Asociación Venezolana para la Hemofilia
  • AVESA
  • Caleidoscopio Humano
  • Campo ONG
  • Casa de la Mujer Juana Ramírez La Avanzadora
  • Cecavid
  • CECODAP
  • Cendif-Universidad Metropolitana
  • Centro de Estudios de la Mujer CEM UCV
  • Centro de formación para la Democracia CFD
  • Centro de Justicia y Paz – Cepaz
  • CISFEM
  • Civilis Derechos Humanos
  • Clima21 – Ambiente y Derechos Humanos
  • Codevida
  • Comisión de Asuntos Sociales y Vecinal. De la Federación Nacional de Jubilados y Pensionados de Venezuela.
  • Comisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela del estado Táchira
  • Comisión Nacional de DDHH de la Federación de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela-Merida
  • Comisión para los Derechos Humanos del Estado Zulia (Codhez)
  • Consorven
  • Coordinadora de Lucha Vecinal Lara
  • Decanato de Estudios Generales de la Universidad Simón Bolívar
  • Defensa en Acción
  • Defiende Venezuela
  • Espacio Público
  • EXCUBITUS Derechos Humanos en Educación
  • Fe y Alegría
  • Federación Nacional de Sociedades de Padres y Representantes FENASOPADRES-
  • Frente Nacional de Mujeres
  • Fuerza Liberal
  • Fundación Aguaclara
  • Fundación Basura Cero
  • Fundación de Lucha Contra el Cáncer-FUNCAMAMA
  • Fundación Grupo de Apoyo A Todo Pulmón Venezuela
  • Fundación Iribarren Lucha
  • Fundación Lucelia
  • Fundación Luz y Vida
  • Fundación Marcelino Pan y Vino
  • Fundación para el Desarrollo Integral FUNDESI
  • Fundación para la Prevención de la Violencia contra la Mujer
  • Fundación Pro-Defensa Del Derecho a La Educación y La Niñez
  • Fundación Vida Renal Contigo
  • Fundamujer
  • FundaRedes
  • FUNDEMUL Venezuela
  • Gobiérnatec
  • GT CLACSO Feminismos, Resistencia y Emancipación
  • Hearts On Venezuela
  • Hogar Virgen de los Dolores
  • Instituto de Investigaciones Jurídicas de la UCAB
  • La Araña Feminista
  • Labo Ciudadano
  • Laboratorio de Paz
  • Las Comadres Púrpuras
  • Mapani Venezuela
  • Mujeres para el Mundo
  • Mulier
  • MUV capitulo Lara
  • Observatorio Penal Mérida OPEM DDHH
  • Observatorio Venezolano de los DDHH de las Mujeres
  • Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones
  • Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia
  • ONG Hombres por la equidad e igualdad
  • Organización Nacional de Trasplante de Venezuela
  • Organización StopVIH
  • Padres Organizados de Venezuela
  • Periodistas Por Venezuela
  • Prepara Familia
  • PROADOPCION, A. C.
  • PROENA
  • Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea)
  • PROMEDEHUM
  • Proyecto Mujeres
  • Psicólogos sin Fronteras Venezuela
  • Red de Activistas Ciudadanos por los Derechos Humanos (Redac)
  • REDHNNA, Red por los Derechos Humanos de Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes.
  • Resonalia
  • Servicio de Psicología “Acompañando en el Dolor” PSF-Venezuela/Grupo Social CESAP
  • Sinergia, Red Venezolana de Organizaciones de Sociedad Civil
  • Sociedad Hominis Iura (SOHI)
  • SOS Pacientes Renales
  • Transparencia Venezuela
  • Una Ventana a la Libertad

Translated by José Rafael Medina