There are plans to hold the first heart transplantation in Belarus in 2009, Healthcare Minister of Belarus Vasily Zharko told a press conference on December 23. According to him, Belarus is technically ready to perform such an operation. Belarusian surgeons were trained in the Czech Republic, Germany, Finland and the Baltic states. “With a donor and a recipient the operation can be held in 2009,” Vasily Zharko said. Next year Belarus also see pancreas and kidney transplantation. Four specialists from Minsk hospital No 9 have been sent for training courses abroad. Bowels transplantation will be performed in the near future, lung and heart transplantation – in 2010. The construction of the national centre for organ and tissue transplantation in Minsk hospital No 9 will be completed in 2009, the Healthcare Minister said.

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