Access to therapies, vaccines and psychological support, along with proper education and incentives, could promote organ transplantation in Hungary. The Hungarian Association of Organ Transplant Recipients (MSZSZ) conference underlined the call to action.
During roundtable discussions, experts and government policymakers focused on increasing the number of organ transplants and improving patient education, journey management, and quality of life of organ transplant recipients.
The persevering issue of stigmatisation and the need for support to communities, assistance, and stakeholder cooperation were highlighted. Successful reintegration of transplant recipients offers measurable social and national economic benefits.
To combat the issues and insufficiencies, the Hungarian Association of Organ Transplant Recipients capitalised on the current Hungarian presidency and introduced a six-point plan to improve organ recipients’ lives.
“The Hungarian EU Presidency provides a great opportunity for decision-makers to recognise patient organisations as part of the healthcare ecosystem at the EU level, consider their recommendations, and support the activities of organ transplant recipients,” Dr Csaba Grózli, Strategic and Medical Director of MSZSZ, told Euractiv.
Modern therapies
According to Grózli, the six parts represent significant progress from the patient’s perspective at the national and European levels.
MSZSZ’s six-point proposal package outlines systemic changes decision-makers can implement through various health benefits. These long-term goals include patient access to modern therapies and transplantation, free vaccination for transplant recipients and those awaiting a donor organ due to their compromised immune system.
The Association emphasised the need for social education, including organised training, community meetings, and learning integrated into the care pathway.
Reintegration programmes
A consensus emerged that the transplant recipients should have free access to psychologists, family therapists, and individuals who understand their challenges across the country.
However, Grózli remarked that the issue is not nationally resolved, and patients rarely have access to someone with experience in dealing with organ transplant patients, “There are very few such specialists, and opportunities mainly exist in private healthcare, which patients cannot afford.”
He called for more access to funded options for patients, “Schools that admit students with transplanted organs would need special education to help them understand and support this unique situation. This could be done by training affected individuals through MSZSZ. We are ready to do this if funding is provided.”
Another issue is tolerance and empathy toward transplant patients, “It is also important that the school and workplace communities approach transplant recipients with acceptance rather than fear,” Grózli added.
Tax benefits as a stimulus
In 2023, a total of 409 organ transplants were performed in Hungary, with predictions that the number could reach 430 this year.
To address limited access to organs and longer waiting times, two key pillars of the plan focus on offering tax incentives and improving healthcare access, as well as expanding personal income tax benefits.
Funding remains an issue
Grózli highlighted the crucial role patient organisations fulfil in patient education programmes. However, their financial resources are constrained, and they receive minimal support.
“We struggle to find resources to operate it. We cannot plan for the next year because there is no available state funding, and for years, we have unsuccessfully tried to secure consistent support from the Health Ministry,” he explained.
He continued, “Even though they consider patient education important, as mentioned at our conference, they do not provide substantial support. Occasional small amounts of funding are insufficient to keep it running.”
Collaboration crucial to the cause
According to Judit Berente, the President of MSZSZ, these objectives can only be achieved if the government, patient organisations, and medical professionals work together effectively and maintain regular dialogue.
“The MSZSZ is able to play the role of a bridge: as a two-way interpreter, it can convey professional and decision-making perspectives to patients and communicate patient needs and feedback to policymakers and healthcare professionals, thereby facilitating effective communication,” Berente remarked.
She believes long-term organ survival is possible only through the synergy of education, community engagement, and social reintegration.
“The human stories behind the statistics are often invisible. With proper support, hundreds of people can become productive again each year, and this should be a priority from the perspective of the individual, society, and the healthcare system,” she said.
[Edited by Vasiliki Angouridi, Brian Maguire]
We give you energy news and help invest in energy projects too, click here to learn more
