A National Action Plan for transplantation, further institutional organisation of the sector and an integrated information system for transplant registries are among the measures being pursued by the Ministry of Health. Health Minister Neophytos Charalambides set out the priorities in Paphos, which is hosting the 25th European Day for Organ, Tissue and Cell Donation 2026, held under the theme “Sharing Lives”.
Priorities for the transplant sector
The ministry’s priorities include strengthening the network of Transplant Coordinators in public and private hospitals. Their role is regarded as crucial for:
- identifying potential donors
- communicating with families
- mobilising the relevant services in good time
The expansion of the network will be accompanied by continuous training for doctors and nurses in intensive care units and in the Transplant Clinic of Nicosia General Hospital.
Specialist training in Madrid
As part of this effort, targeted training for intensive care specialists is planned in Madrid, in cooperation with Spain’s National Transplant Organisation and the Spanish Ministry of Health. The aim, the minister said, is to acquire expertise in identifying and appropriately managing potential donors. That expertise will be put to use in Cypriot hospitals and will help build a domestic training capacity.
Cyprus in figures
According to the figures presented by the minister:
- 1,171 kidney transplants have been performed in Cyprus to date, from a total of 1,108 organ donors.
- 181 grafts have been offered to other countries as part of international cooperation.
- The Karaiskakio Foundation’s Bone Marrow Donor Registry numbers more than 200,000 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot volunteers.
- More than 1,000 Cypriot volunteers have already donated to patients in 36 countries.
The European picture
The minister stressed the need to increase organ donation. Citing Council of Europe data, he said that more than 100,000 patients in member states are waiting for an organ transplant. More than 8,000 people die while on a waiting list.
Trust and transparency
Increasing donation, he said, requires a health system that:
- inspires trust
- applies strict standards of quality and safety
- allocates grafts through transparent procedures and objective, medically based criteria
He placed particular emphasis on protecting the health and dignity of both donors and recipients. He also stressed the need for appropriately trained health professionals to support the families of deceased donors.
International cooperation
Charalambides described the long-standing cooperation with the Hellenic Republic and the Hellenic Transplant Organisation as important. The shared aim is to broaden treatment options for patients awaiting a transplant.
He added that developing partnerships with other countries, for transplants not performed in Cyprus, is expected to widen the possibilities of finding a compatible graft.
He also highlighted cooperation with the Council of Europe and the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare. This cooperation supports common standards of quality and safety, the exchange of expertise and the protection of donors and recipients.
Public information and family conversations
To mark the European Day, the minister said the ministry has made continuous, evidence-based public information on organ and tissue donation a key priority.
Information campaigns, he said, must reach schools, communities, workplaces and the media. They must also tackle misinformation and respond to people’s concerns, so that decisions are made freely and without pressure.
He also stressed the importance of discussing deceased organ donation with family members. This ensures that a person’s wishes have been expressed in time and are known before the difficult circumstances of a loss.
Gratitude to donors
In closing, the minister expressed his respect and gratitude to living and deceased donors and their families, to transplant recipients, and to the health professionals who contribute to the effort.
He said that donation does not cancel out a loss, but it can give another person the chance to go on living, putting into practice the message “Sharing Lives”.
