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E-mailHowever, under the IATA Guidance Document, kidneys are considered “patient specimens” and not “infectious substances.” Further, those for transplant (obviously not being a biological hazard) should not be subject to the provisions of the said document. According to the document, patient specimens should be in a leak-proof receptacle and a secondary leak-proof package as well as a sturdy container.
Dr. Reynaldo Lesaca Jr., head of the Human Organ Preservation Effort of NKTI said the kidneys were in preservative solution packed in canisters in sterile ice and were in a cooler. Reports say a certain Capt. Reuven Locson of the Legaspi, Albay to Manila Flight no. 328 said the smell of blood could be offensive to passengers. Lesaca said that with such containers, the smell couldn’t possibly be emitted.
The NKTI team said they were even allowed to board a Cebu Pacific plane from Cagayan de Oro to Cebu carrying the first kidney. It was after fetching the second kidney in Legazpi City that they were denied transport.
The price to pay
Instead of the 45-minute flight, the team carrying the organs took a 10- to 12-hour overland trip from Legazpi to Quezon City, where the two recipients were waiting. Because of the long trip, one of the kidneys was spoiled. While the other was transplanted, doctors had reservations doing so because the kidney's condition was less optimal than if the transport time was shorter.
According to Lesaca, 10,000 Filipinos experience kidney failure each year, but only one out of 20 are fortunate to get a kidney transplant. Suitable donors are so difficult to find that about 70 percent of sufferers have to bear with life-long dialysis. "One deceased donor (from accident or trauma victims) can save and extend the lives of two or more patients with end-stage organ failure. All sectors of society need to be more sensitive to the efforts of the medical community in saving lives," he said.
Department of Health directive
Lesaca said the Department of Health came out with a directive in November 2008, directing all domestic commercial airlines to “allow and give priority to the transplant team to travel and transport vital human organs needed for transportation (e.g. kidneys, liver, etc.).”
Online reactions
The controversy coincided with news of Cebu Pacific’s number one status as the country’s largest airline, having transported more than 4 million passengers during the first half of the year.
Twitter user JimAyson re-twitted the news “@inquirerdotnet: Cebu Pacific gives fliers a break" and wrote “Not if you need a kidney though.”
Other Twitter users commented, “Cebu Pacific wasted a precious kidney. Shame on you. Shame on you..,” “Cebu pacific should replace the wasted kidney!!!” and “Cebu Pacific maintains its number 1 despite not allowing a precious kidney to reach its intended recipient.”
Facebook users also criticized the airlines, with some narrating experiences of friends having kidney failure and calls to boycott the said airline.
Kidney transport (WHCmedia)
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