The Skopje-based Clinic for Orthopedic Diseases within the University Clinic for Traumatology, Orthopedic Diseases, Anesthesia, Reanimation, Intensive Care and Emergency Centre launched on Thursday the use of a new laboratory refrigerator for storing bones and bone tissue. The freezer, worth Mden 414,156, was donated by the German Embassy and will be used as part of the bone tissue bank within the clinic’s transplant unit.
“This donation comes at the right time. This year, we carried out the first bone tissue explant surgery and thanks to it, a young patient received healthy bone tissue from a deceased donor. Aside from kidney transplant surgeries, which have been performed in North Macedonia for years, last year, we also started performing heart transplant surgeries and this year we explanted bones and bone tissue. These types of surgeries are life-changing for patients. I’m glad that the German Embassy and Ambassador Holstein recognize our efforts aimed at improving the health system and have partnered with us on several important projects,” Health Minister Venko Filipche said during the event.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health said in a press release, Germany’s Embassy has donated a total of EUR 1,450,000 to North Macedonia via several projects, as well as through direct assistance.
“Congratulations to the Macedonian medical staff, the national organ transplant coordinator and their team on the first ever heart transplant surgeries in the country, as well as the explantation of bone tissue from a deceased donor, which has saved several lives,” German Ambassador to North Macedonia Anke Holstein underlined.
The Orthopedic Clinic’s bone tissue bank was updated a year and a half ago, thus creating conditions for launching bone transplant surgeries from deceased donors.
“What started as an idea for expanding the transplant program two years ago is now reality. With small, but sure steps, we’re introducing multi-organ transplant surgeries into North Macedonia’s health system, opening a new chapter which brings new challenges for doctors, but hope for patients,” said Maja Mojosova Mijoska, MD.
University Clinic for Traumatology, Orthopedic Diseases, Anesthesia, Reanimation, Intensive Care and Emergency Centre head Aleksandar Trajanovski, MD, stressed on Thursday that the first explantation of bone tissue was done in April 2020. One transplant surgery has already been performed and several others have been scheduled for the upcoming period.
“Bone tissue transplants will give many patients hope for a better life. Clinic staff is already preparing for upcoming bone tissue transplant surgeries,” Trajanovski said.
