The Construction Phase Of The Onassis National Transplant Center Begins

The ceremony to mark the start of the construction phase of the Onassis National Transplant Center was staged on Monday 9 December in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, the Prime Minister and President of the Greek Government, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros II, Archbishop Ieroymos of Athens and All Greece, and a host of representatives from the nation’s Civil, Political and Ecclesiastical leadership and from the scientific and academic communities.

The start was made at the Onassis Stegi just over a year ago, on 31 October 2018, when the Onassis Foundation announced its decision to create the Onassis National Transplant Center (ONTC). Today, the vision is on its way to becoming a reality: construction on the ONTC is underway and, three and a half years from now, Greece will acquire a hospital dedicated to solid organ transplants, which will also provide high-quality health services in the fields of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

After the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center (OCSC), which after 27 years in operation has become synonymous with medical innovation and leadership, a new Onassis Foundation donation of national importance is set to take its place in Athens. A center for a broader-ranging collaboration across international borders, a hospital that will promote innovation and excellence by ushering in the digital age, a catalyst for activating the forces of altruism in society, a hospital for all which provides care for uninsured patients, too.

The Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after praising the contribution of the Onassis Foundation to the Public Benefit sector, declared: “At the foundations of the Onassis National Transplant Center three tendencies deeply rooted in Greek society converge: Solidarity and the sense of responsibility of Civil Society. Willingness of the State to collaborate with citizens and foundations where national infrastructure does not suffice. And, of course Mr. President, a long tradition in national benefactors, where Greeks who have thrived and succeeded in Greece and abroad but haven’t forgotten their homeland play a central role. In this unique tradition we can also include the activities of the Onassis Foundation. Following the example of important benefactors of the 19th century, Aristotle Onassis dedicated in his will half of his assets to social purposes. Half of his wealth to his fellow citizens. Now, these actions of common benefit are common. Back then, though, this initiative was quite unusual, bold and innovative. His vision is carried out admirably by the people of the Onassis Foundation who connect everything with the needs of the times and contribute with achievements in a series of crucial sectors: Health, Education and Culture. Moreover, our country today is in more need than ever for an action framework in the field of Transplants. Buildings alone do not suffice. You said it quite well Mr. President, donors are needed, a system is needed, a procedure is also needed and for this I regard as particularly important the implementation of a National Transplant Plan, under the supervision of professors, Dr. Mosialos and Dr. Papalois, who will equip our society with a safe guide for the development of this System. I want you to adhere to your schedule for June 2020. And I want you to know that I, personally, but also the Ministry of Health, will implement your proposals so that we can reverse the negative situation which currently prevails in our country. I want to also highlight the initiative by which you will undertake the funding of seven Transplant Coordinators, one per hospital, during one year. That is, until the State possesses a cohesive plan that we will be able to implement. The Donor Registry will have to be enriched. I understand that the number of donors today is extremely low, at around 4,000. Perhaps we must change that with an initiative that all of us, the Members of Parliament, will commit to register in the Donor Registry following the President’s example. But also with awareness campaigns to inform all citizens. And of course, doctors and nurses – especially those in Intensive Care Units – assume a crucial role in this. They are faced with and must handle this tragic situation, while simultaneously, they have the duty and responsibility which derives from the tragic fact that death can lead again to life.”

In turn, the President of the Onassis Foundation, Mr. Anthony Papadimitriou, noted: "Today marks the start of a new Hospital: the Onassis National Transplant Centre. Transplantation is a vision that includes us all. It will be there for us in the future, just so long as we assume our responsibilities today. All we need do is offer up the best part of ourselves. Today, we are here to mark the start of the construction phase of the Onassis National Transplant Center, and the beginning of a national effort to which we must all commit to see through to fruition.” At the same time, he announced a set of actions designed to improve the health system, most significantly the drawing up of a National Strategic Plan for Transplants: “Having secured the support of the State, we support and have commissioned a National Transplant Plan from a team at the London School of Economics led by the distinguished professors Elias Mossialos and Vassilios Papalois. The team has already embarked on its research in preparation for mapping the situation in Greece. Their conclusions are due to be published and made available to the Greek State in June 2020.”

In his turn, the President of the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Ioannis N. Boletis, spoke about networking and how the creation of the ONTC will strengthen the nation's other transplantation units: "The Onassis National Transplant Center has not been created to replace the other Transplant Units, but to support and work closely with them. This is why its modus operandi will be based on something unusual in Greece but common in countries with advanced health systems: the use of networks to implement each and every transplant program."

The start of the ONTC construction phase was welcomed by the new president of the National Transplant Organization, Mr. George Papatheodoridis: "Conveying the feelings of my colleagues, I can assure you that this day is a source of great satisfaction and expectation for everyone at the National Transplant Organization. Because today's ceremony marks the start of the construction phase of the ONTC, which will be a new, key structure within the Greek health system and breathe new life into, and provide a significant boost for, the transplantation field in Greece."

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Mr. Hans Klug, the World Health Organization Regional Director for Europe, honored us with his presence and addressed the public.

The ceremony to mark the start of the construction phase of the Onassis National Transplant Center Onassis was blessed by the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, Theodoros II, and by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece.

The event was coordinated by the Onassis Foundation’s Director of Culture, Ms. Aphrodite Panagiotakou.

The closing speech ended with a commitment: the Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the President of the Onassis Foundation, Mr. Anthony Papadimitriou, the President of the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Mr. Ioannis Boletis, and the President of the National Transplant Organization, Mr. George Papatheodoridis, departed from the customary protocol at events of this nature and returned to the stage to digitally append their signatures to a commitment to support the Transplantation field in Greece and bring this national goal to fruition: A commitment to and for life today, for a national achievement tomorrow.

Placing our trust in the future

Supporting the State and the National Transplant Centre in their respective roles, and taking a holistic approach to its activities, the Onassis Foundation will contribute to the rebuilding of the Transplant and Organ Donation sector.

Organ transplantation is emerging globally as the most cutting-edge therapeutic practice of the 21st century. It is the only treatment available for final-stage heart, liver and lung failure as well as the most effective for renal failure.

Unfortunately, in this field, Greece is in last place in Europe and among the bottom ten countries in the Western world. The official NTO data is disheartening. In 2018, there were only 45 organ donated in Greece and just 172 transplanted, while in European countries with a similar population, such as Belgium and Portugal, the corresponding figures were 344 donations/1,021 transplants and 344 donations/783 transplants.

The fragmented and incomplete nature of the transplant system, the lack of a Strategic Plan and inadequacy of its infrastructure, as well as the lack of public trust in the health system, all serve to deter organ donation and keep transplantation activity in Greece at very low levels. In addition, child patients from Greece in need of transplants of all kinds, and adults in need of lung transplants, currently have to travel abroad for their operations.

The first major step, the special scholarship program the Foundation set up, has allowed Greek doctors to be trained in Vienna; as a result, the lung transplant program will soon be up-and-running at the OCSC.

Greece acquires a National Strategic Plan for Transplants

Having assured bipartisan support from the Government and Opposition, the Onassis Foundation commissioned the London School of Economics (LSE) to draw up the National Strategic Plan for Transplants, which will be delivered to the Greek State in June 2020.

The formation of the ONTC is a start—a starting point from which we can begin to catch up. With an uncompromising belief in the importance of the special expertise required, the Onassis Foundation has commissioned an international team of experts from the London School of Economics (LSE) to map the situation in Greece under the supervision of the Health Policy expert, Professor Elias Mossialos: “Greece is behind most other European countries in terms of the number of solid organ transplants performed here, and in particular in the number of young patients who require kidney dialysis, in which we are in second place in the EU after Cyprus. This means that in relation to kidney failure in particular, the health system is failing to prevent the disease reaching its final phase. What is needed, therefore, is a National Plan for improving transplantation in Greece, a plan for rebuilding the Transplant System", the eminent Greek professor from the London School of Economics explained.

The conclusions of the survey, which are expected to be published in June 2020, will be matched to a framework of rules, best practices and international standards to produce a national health plan. The plan will define:

Ø the required state strategy,

Ø the role of the National Transplant Organization and other transplant centers,

Ø the existing infrastructure and additional infrastructure required,

Ø methods for training specialized personnel,

Ø changes in how the public view transplants, and the role the Media plays in this.

At the same time, the Plan will provide guidance on:

Ø criteria for identifying potential donors,

Ø procedures for locating and storing organs until they can be used,

Ø the clinical requirements of organ removal and transplantation,

Ø the provision of counselling to families.

The project will be supervised by a committee of experts from Greece and elsewhere, which will include:

Ø Vassilios Papalois (Joint Chair of the Committee) Professor of Transplantation Surgery at Imperial College London and President of the European Society of Organ Transplantation,

Ø Mandeep Mehra (Joint Chair of the Committee): William Harvey Distinguished Chair in Advanced Cardiovascular Medicine and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard University Medical School,

Ø Daniel Casanova: Head of Transplant Surgery at the University of Cantabria,

Ø Jacopo Romagnoli: Head of Transplant Surgery at the Catholic University of Rome,

Ø Anastasia Kotanidou: Professor in the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Director of the Intensive Care Clinic at the Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens,

Ø Dr. Aliki Iniotaki: Former Director of the Immunology Laboratory and the National Tissue Typing Center at the G. Gennimatas General Hospital, Athens,

Ø Mr. Stephen Large: Consultant Surgeon at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, and the Clinical Dean in the University of Cambridge Medical School (1998–2017).

A commitment to holistic support

As part of its holistic approach, in addition to the National Strategic Plan for Transplants which is being drawn up for the first time in Greece, the Onassis Foundation will also be supporting a number of activities aimed at rebuilding the Transplantation and Organ Donation sector in Greece:

• Providing training which will allow the already experienced medical and nursing staff to specialize further through a five-year Scholarship program,
• Strengthening the country's existing transplant units and general hospitals. As part of this undertaking, the Onassis Foundation will cover the cost of recruiting and employing 7 coordinators in 7 hospitals around the country for one year, until the National Strategic Plan for Transplants is in place and the State is in a position to address the needs of the health system more comprehensively.
• Furthering medical research. The Foundation has decided to fund the preparation of joint research protocols by the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center (OCSC) and the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens. The protocols relate to Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology, Immunology, Heart Transplants, Assisted Circulation Conditions, and any other field of common interest, such as Personalized Medicine or Bioequivalence Studies.
• Raising public awareness of the value and importance of organ donation through information campaigns, seminars and training programs, thereby allowing the ONTC to be built on solid foundations.

The ultimate goal of the extended Onassis Foundation ‘family’ is to consign firmly to the past the time when Greece stood in last place among all European nations in terms of transplantation.

For the Onassis Foundation, organ donation is a matter of education, and health for all a matter of democracy. It's a matter of Culture.