Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Israel Ruiz

Over two thousand people in Peru are anxiously waiting to have an organ transplant, reported the Andean country's ministry of health, affirming Peru was the country in Latin America with the lowest number of organ donors.

Furthermore, the ministry of health confirmed that one person died every day in Peru while waiting for an organ donor.

"It's a painful fact that one person dies everyday because there is a lack of donors," said Dr. Jaime Almeyda, head of the National Donation and Transplant Organization.

Of the two thousand people on the waiting list, there are at least 150 that need a transplant urgently, explained Almeyda, who is a part of a team of doctors that is on a constant search for organ donors.

The doctor explained that only one in every million people in Peru donated their organs.

"The biggest obstacle in the majority of cases is family members that don't accept to have the organs extracted."

He stated that many of these family members were waiting for a miracle that would 'resurrect' their loved one.

In other cases they believe their loved one will not get into heaven if they are not whole, said Dr. Almeyda.

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