"Lungs must be transplanted within 12 hours after removal from the donor. The surgery takes an average of five hours. Therefore the window available to transport the organ is only fewer than six hours," Chen said.
More than 1,300 organ donations were made in the country in the first six months of 2015, but only 60 lungs were transplanted, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission."Many donated organs were wasted on the way because of delays, while many patients died waiting for a transplant," Chen said.
Thanks to his effort, six government authorities issued a notice in May announcing the establishment of green channels for donated organs. The green channel stipulates that medical personnel carrying organs for transplant have priority during check-in and security checks at airports, and the flight they board has priority in takeoff.
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Chen Jingyu takes a photo before the opening meeting of the fifth session of the 12th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2017. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
This year, Chen is preparing to submit a suggestion about brain death.
"If a patient's brain is dead and he or she relies on a breathing machine to sustain life, it's a waste of medical resources and creates economic burden on the family," Chen said.
"The legislation will help clarify the concepts of brain death and organ donation, so that they can be accepted by more people," he said.
