Paraguay has officially launched a new digital platform to manage organ allocation, a move designed to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the national transplant system. The National Ablation and Transplant System of Paraguay (SINATPy) was presented on the National Day of Transplantation with support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Currently, there are 301 patients on Paraguay’s national organ waiting list, a figure that includes 16 paediatric cases. In 2026, medical teams have successfully completed 84 transplants across the country. The National Institute of Ablation and Transplant (INAT) reports these figures as a significant part of its ongoing work.
A milestone in national healthcare
The National Day of Transplantation is observed annually on the 9th of July. This date was formally established by Law No. 5.603/15. It commemorates the 30th anniversary of the first heart transplant performed in Paraguay, which took place at the Baptist Medical Centre in Asunción. Therefore, the launch represents a tribute to the scientific and human progress this medical procedure embodies.
According to INAT, the 84 transplants performed so far in the year 2026 include 39 corneal transplants and three heart transplants. Furthermore, there have been 23 kidney transplants and 19 hematopoietic stem cell, or bone marrow, transplants.
How the SINATPy system enhances efficiency
The SINATPy platform is a technological tool specifically designed to streamline the assignment of donated organs. It optimises the allocation process according to established medical and ethical criteria. The system also maintains an updated registry of individuals who have formally expressed their wish to donate, contributing to a more agile, secure, and transparent management of information.
A key feature of the platform is its ability to automate the selection of recipients. This process is based on factors such as age, weight, blood group, histocompatibility, and the length of time a patient has been on dialysis. Consequently, this automation facilitates organ assignment with complete transparency. Hugo Espinoza, the director of INAT, highlighted the system’s adaptability.
“This day reminds us of the importance of transplants in Paraguay, a national and global need,”Espinoza said. “The transplant has been consolidated as a treatment for many diseases, and with the integration of the computer system, we can make renal allocation transparent when there is a donor, which is fundamental to guaranteeing transparency.”
Espinoza explained that the system allows allocation criteria to be adjusted based on consensus among specialists, ensuring flexibility and continuous improvement. The data generated will be shared with regional and global systems, including the Mercosur network Donasur and the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation, to promote international cooperation.
Expanding organ procurement efforts
In addition to the new SINATPy platform, Espinoza announced a new ministerial resolution is now in effect. This directive requires all public and private hospitals, the Social Security Institute (IPS), the Hospital de Clínicas, and high-complexity services with intensive care and emergency units to establish a hospital organisation for organ and tissue donation. Each organisation will be overseen by a national coordinator.
“This provision from the Minister of Public Health is a great mission, extremely important, that will significantly help in the organ procurement process. It is a very relevant advance.”
The Ministry of Health also stated that a key way to overcome public apprehension is through information. It encourages families to discuss organ donation and to understand that brain death signifies the death of the person. The ministry also assured the public that the integrity of the body is strictly respected following the donation surgery.
Also read: Organ Donation In Paraguay: How Does It Work?.
