~60 cancer patients on the waiting list to undergo liver transplant~

Mongolian surgeons successfully transplanted a liver for a cancer patient for the first time in Mongolia at 7:07 p.m. last Saturday after seven years of training. Director of the National Cancer Center J.Chinburen held a press conference about the liver transplantation yesterday with Ulaanbaatar Mayor S.Batbold, Head of the Ulaanbaatar Health Office L.Tumurbaatar, doctor from the Samsung Health Center Joo Jae Won, and Director of the Eleg Negt Mongolchuud Fund L.Munkhbayasgalan. Seven liver cancer patients will get a liver transplant this year, announced J.Chinburen. The government has projected 650 million MNT for these procedures through the Eleg Buten Mongol National Program. The first procedure was carried out on January 28 under the guidance of doctors from the Samsung Health Center. Reportedly, it took five hours to take a liver graft from a live donor, aged 20, and another seven hours to transplant it to the 42-year-old male cancer patient who is the donor’s uncle. The surgery went smoothly as the patient didn’t lose too much blood, said a surgeon. The patient had been getting treated at the National Cancer Center for three years before the surgery. His cancer cells had become metabolically inactive but became active again in November 2017. As his cancer measured to 4.5 centimeters in size and his condition was degrading, doctors decided that he needed an urgent liver transplant. “The patient’s vital signs are stable. He started eating today (January 30) and the donor has been transferred to a regular ward. The Eleg Negt Mongolchuud Fund collected donations for the transplant. The Ulaanbaatar administration donated equipment and tools worth a billion MNT. We couldn’t have done this surgery if we didn’t have these equipment and tools. I’d like to thank former Director of the National Cancer Center L.Tumurbaatar (for supporting),” J.Chinburen said. The 20-year-old donor will be able to get discharged from the hospital in a week’s time provided that no health problems arise. However, he will have to follow a strict diet for three months. Doctors stated that he can work after six months. During the press conference, Mayor S.Batbold noted, “This surgery is a huge step for the Mongolian health sector. A year ago, we gathered right here at the National Cancer Center and signed an agreement to give equipment worth a billion MNT. I’m happy that the equipment were given as promised and that Mongolian doctors succeeded in performing a liver transplant for a Ulaanbaatar resident.” Doctors underlined that they haven’t seen any adverse impact to the cancer patient’s health for 48 hours after the surgery, which is a very good sign indicating that the liver was a good match. It was reported that over 60 people are on the waiting list for a liver transplant but only seven people will be able to get a new liver due to a limited budget. The next liver transplant has been scheduled in March.