Organ donation in Greece rises for fifth consecutive year

By December 15, at least 130 organ donors had been registered nationwide, up from 111 in 2024. The rise has translated into increased transplant activity, with more than 30 additional procedures carried out compared with last year, when a total of 367 transplants were performed.

“And the year is not even over yet,” said National Transplant Organization President Giorgos Papatheodoridis and Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center President Ioannis Boletis during an online “Transplant Masterclass” event.

Boletis described 2025 as a milestone year, noting that donor rates have increased for five consecutive years, reaching 13 donors per million population. He said the figure has been rising steadily by roughly two donors per million annually, with consistent growth recorded since 2020.

Papatheodoridis said Greece is aiming to reach the European Union average of 20 to 25 donors per million population and could exceed the 20 mark within the next three years. He attributed the progress to a series of initiatives introduced during the pandemic, including the appointment of hospital-based transplant coordinators, updated criteria for determining death, and a government SMS campaign that significantly boosted donor registrations.

However, he cautioned that staffing shortages within the health system remain a key challenge for sustaining and accelerating further growth.