Turkish specialists to assist the development of transplantation in Georgia
Thursday, May 27
On May 25, 2021, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs of Georgia signed a quadripartite memorandum with the Georgian Association of Transplantologists, the Turkish Transplantation Society, and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
The memorandum envisages promoting the development of transplantology in the country. In particular, with the support of TIKA, Turkish specialists will share their experience with their Georgian counterparts and improve their technical base.
At present, organ transplants in Georgia are performed only by family members and blood relatives. Determining tissue compatibility, especially during kidney transplantation, is vital. That is why Gia Tomadze, Chairman of the Georgian Association of Transplantologists, raised the issue of transferring the special techniques necessary for the development of the field and training of specialists.
Among the planned training and workshops are:
• HLA and other training for laboratory workers
• Determining brain death
• Donor management
• Organ removal, protection, and transportation
• Management of waitlists
Since 2017, the Georgian Association of Transplantologists has been cooperating with the Turkish Transplantation Society. Georgian specialists attend seminars and conferences in Turkey and have the opportunity to monitor the development of the field. After a dialogue with Turkish colleagues, Georgian transplantologists raised the issue of the need to establish an organ transplant from the corpse and a tissue typification laboratory.
Turkey ranks fifth in the world in terms of the number and variety of organ transplants and the first in terms of transplant donations per live population per million inhabitants. Considering this, Turkey has the greatest experience, especially in the field of liver and kidney transplantation.
Within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding, in cooperation with the Ministry and with the support of the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), Turkish and Georgian colleagues will start working together on topics such as curriculum refinement, internships with specialist centers/clinics and other specialist organizations. Implementation of educational programs, the establishment of a national coordination system, and so on.
