ASTANA – A life-saving operation and a milestone moment in Kazakhstan’s medical history were brought to the screens on July 24, as the Heart Center Foundation and University Medical Center (UMC) premiered the documentary “100 Heart Transplantations in Kazakhstan.” The short movie highlights the country’s 100th heart transplant and aims to raise public awareness about organ donation and the growing need for open dialogue around transplantation in Kazakhstan, reported the foundation’s press service.
Photo credit: umc.org.kz
Over the past 13 years, the local surgeons have performed 103 heart transplants. The 100th procedure was carried out earlier this year on a 53-year-old man suffering from chronic heart failure. He had waited four years for the operation while living with an implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to relieve pressure on his heart.
Yuriy Pya, a renowned cardiac surgeon, noted that performing the 100th heart transplant signaled that Kazakhstan had reached a new stage and was keeping pace with developed countries. Photo credit: Heart Center Foundation
The surgery took place on Feb. 4 at the UMC Heart Center. In the 10-minute short film, doctors recount the tense circumstances of that night. The surgical team, transporting the donor heart from Petropavlovsk to Astana, was forced to reroute to Karagandy due to poor weather conditions. From there, the heart was rushed by ambulance to the capital, where the transplant team was waiting. Time was critical. Any delay could have compromised the organ’s viability.
“The level of medical development reflects the development of society itself. Performing the 100th heart transplant shows that our society has reached a new level—we are keeping pace with developed nations,” said UMC Chairman of the Board Dr. Yuriy Pya in the film.
“But there is a caveat: unfortunately, heart transplants are only possible from deceased donors. It’s the only method currently available to help patients in the final stages of heart failure,” he added.
Currently, more than 4,000 people in Kazakhstan are on the national transplant waiting list. Of those, 145 are candidates for a heart transplant. On average, 30 to 35 patients drop off the list annually without receiving a transplant.
The documentary was released ahead of the annual Juregimnin Jenimpazy (Champion of my heart) charity run, an event dedicated to raising awareness and supporting those on the transplant waiting list. The run will take place on Aug. 10 in Astana, with 5,000 participants expected.
