The Ministry of Health of Jujuy announced on Apr. 8 that the sixth kidney transplant in the province’s public health system was successfully carried out at Hospital Pablo Soria. The procedure involved a patient with specific immune system conditions and was described as highly complex.
This development highlights ongoing efforts to provide advanced, free treatment for chronic renal failure within the public sector. According to José Illanes, Head of Renal Transplant at Hospital Pablo Soria, “The surgical process began in the late hours of Friday, April 3 and ended early Saturday morning. In this case, the transplanted person is an adult male from Yavi Department who was on the waiting list.” Illanes also said that due to the patient’s hypersensitivity and immune system complexity, it was considered a particularly challenging transplant.
Illanes explained that each year around 1,500 kidney transplants are performed nationally in Argentina, but only about 100 to 150 are considered as complex as this case. He said that “the National Institute for Organ Procurement and Transplantation (INCUCAI) prioritizes these patients during each operation.” The organ for this procedure arrived from Neuquén Province with timely transport coordination and support from various hospital departments including Nephrology and Hemotherapy services due to plasmapheresis requirements. The patient is currently recovering well after surgery.
Illanes further noted that conducting such a complex transplant over a long holiday weekend demonstrates both professional expertise and infrastructure capacity at Hospital Pablo Soria. He said: “Organ transplantation means quality and quantity of years of life; it also offers better quality compared to dialysis required by people with this health condition, so it’s always a joy when we can perform a transplant.”
Hospital Pablo Soria conducted its first public sector kidney transplant on December 24, 2024; three more took place in early 2025 and two have been completed so far in 2026.
Transplants involving tissues, organs or human cells are now established medical practices—often representing the only way to save lives threatened by serious illness or injury. The donation of organs remains vital for recipients’ survival and continues to be promoted as an act benefiting society directly.
Jujuy has reported completing a total of twenty-six organ removal procedures across both public and private sectors this year following recent multi-organ operations at Hospital Pablo Soria.
For information or inquiries regarding organ donation or transplantation processes in Jujuy Province, residents can contact CUCAIJUY (Centro Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante de Jujuy) located at Güemes 1360 in San Salvador de Jujuy during weekday business hours.
