Rahael wants more liver transplants in Argentina

In an interview, Rahael told Newsday the meeting will "explore the possibility of some arrangement between our two countries and the hospital that does this procedure."

He said Argentina had recently embarked on liver transplant surgery and had a successful programme.

The Health Ministry has been providing financial assistance to patients who cannot get specialised surgery done in this country. One of them was ten-year-old Akil Wilson, who had surgery on November 29 at Hospital Univeristario Austral in Argentina.

Despite pooling of their finances, Wilson’s family still owes US$30,000 for the operation and air ambulance.

The preliminary cost for the transplant was US$67,000, but this did not include follow-up care. The air ambulance costs US$51,000.

Rahael said liver transplant was costly and the ministry was not in a position to fully subsidise patients. He said the cost of surgery in the United States was approximately $250,000, while in Argentina it was less than US$100,000

Rahael said at the meeting with the Argentinean Ambassador, cost would also be discussed "to see if we can reduce the cost even further."

In an interview last Friday, Dr Maria Bartholomew, consultant gastroenterologist, said liver transplant surgery can cost from US$250,000-US$400,000 in the US.

She knew of five patients in need of liver transplant surgery whose families were trying to raise money, but said there were probably others in need.

Bartholomew said "living related transplants" were a way of getting around the worldwide shortage of transplant organs.

There are long waiting lists overseas, and patients can wait a year or more.

Ideally, a family member of the same blood group is used. Bartholomew said the family member must donate the organ of their own free will without any coercion.

There is a one in 100 risk of donor death due to complications from surgery.

Transplant patients must be on medication for the rest of their lives to prevent their body from rejecting the liver.

One of the persons waiting for surgery is 27-year-old Daryl St Cyr of Arima, whose family opened an account at Republic Bank to raise US$90,000 for surgery at the University Hospital in Argentina.

His mother, Annette, told Newsday that US$25,000 had been raised.

She said Daryl is hoping to have surgery in Argentina and asked her if she had called the Argentinean Embassy.

"But money is the first thing," she said. Daryl recently told his mother that he could not hold on much longer waiting for surgery.