IN a coordinated overnight effort, doctors at Hu Central Hospital have successfully used organs and tissues from a brain-dead donor to carry out six life-saving transplants, restoring sight to two patients and stabilising others who had been in critical condition, the hospital said.

The transplants, involving a heart, liver, kidneys and corneas, were performed between April 16 and 18 with the participation of nearly 200 medical staff across clinical and paraclinical departments. All six recipients had been in a life-threatening condition prior to surgery.

On April 15, the hospital’s Transplant Centre received a request from the family of a 44-year-old Hu resident to donate organs. The patient had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in an accident, fell into a deep coma and prognosis was already determined to be death. Despite intensive treatment, the condition did not improve.

On April 16, following clinical evaluation and confirmation of brain death in line with medical protocols, the hospital’s Transplant Council notified the National Transplant Coordination Centre to identify suitable recipients from the waiting list.

At 8.45pm that day, after a minute of silence in honour of the donor, surgical teams began procedures simultaneously in five operating rooms under the supervision of Professor Phm Nh Hip, the hospital’s director.

Medical teams had worked through the night to complete the transplants. As of April 27, all recipients were reported to be stable and able to eat. Two patients, from Ngh An and Qung Tr provinces, who had suffered from severe corneal ulcers and had been completely blind, partially regained vision and were discharged on April 18.

Director Hip said, “At the moment when one life must come to an end, we have strived to open up other lives as fully as possible. Hu Central Hospital extends its deepest gratitude to the donor and their family.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2026