Greece records a surge in organ donations, with transplants more than doubling in 2024, the Greek Health Minister said this week.
Organ donors increased by 60 percent in 2024 while Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, speaking at the “Together we Strenghten the Chain of Life” event at the Onaseio Cardiac Center in Athens, said early 2025 data suggest another record year ahead.
“We are headed for a new record,” he said.
In 2024, 367 transplants were carried out, including kidney, liver, heart and lung procedures. Through April 15 this year, a total of 103 transplants have been completed.
Greece has seen a rise from four donors per million people to 10.6 per one million. The government’s goal is to reach 20 million.
In this direction, Georgiadis announced that in the coming weeks, IDIKA, Greece’s social security and prescription system, will be sending text messages encouraging citizens to register with the National Register of Organ and Tissue Donors. Notifications will also be sent via the MyHealthApp.
Raising awareness about organ donation and increasing the number of the country’s organ donors has been a priority for the government, the minister said. Actions include bolstering the National Transplant Organization (NTO) with eight new coordinators, setting up a network of local coordinators in donor hospitals, training healthcare staff and raising awareness through public campaigns.
Organ donations save hundreds of lives in Greece
In November 2024, Greece made history after reaching 100 organ donations in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive increase in the last few years.
These deceased donors have saved the lives of 225 patients through organ transplants, which were completed across 32 intensive care units (ICUs) across Greece while 106 living donations have gone to an equal number of recipients within their families or circle of friends, surpassing all previous records.
“Today marks a historic milestone for our nation’s transplant system,” said Giorgos Papatheodoridis, president of the National Transplant Organization. “One hundred remarkable families have said ‘yes’ to donating the organs of their loved ones, allowing them to generously give life through their passing -breaking every previous record in Greece.”
In February, the story of three-year-old Aggelos, whose mother and her boyfriend have been accused for brutally beating the woman’s young son, shocked Greece and once again, highlighted how organ donations can save lives.
Little Aggelos remained intubated at the children’s intensive care unit in critical condition. The boy’s grandparents, along with an aunt, gave the green light for the donation of Angelos’ organs after the boy was declared “brain dead” on Sunday, February 2.
His heart was transplanted to a child in Berlin, Germany, and his kidneys, were transferred to a hospital in Thessaloniki, northern Greece.
On a social media post, accompanied by a picture from inside the operating room ahead of the procedure, the Hellenic Transplant Organization said:
“‘One minute of silence’ from the surgical teams as the minimum tribute to little Aggelos, who gave life to fellow sick humans. A warm thanks to the hospital authorities, the children’s ICU and to the entire hospital staff, along with the Heraklion Prosecutor’s Office for the impeccable collaboration. Our immense respect to the grandmother of the little boy for her decision to donate his organs. We hope this act will ease her immense pain.”
