Türkiye has secured its place among the global leaders in organ transplantation, ranking second worldwide after South Korea in living donor liver transplants, according to professor Aydın Türkmen, president of the Turkish Society of Nephrology.

Speaking at the "360 Degree Organ Donation” panel held at the Atatürk Cultural Center in Tekirdağ’s Kapaklı district, Türkmen underscored Türkiye’s outstanding performance in organ transplantation, highlighting that the country has become a center of learning for international medical professionals.

"After South Korea, we rank second in the world in living donor liver transplants. We have achieved remarkable success in this field. Surgeons from abroad, including the U.S. and other countries, come to Türkiye to learn about living donor liver transplantation,” Türkmen said.

He noted that Türkiye’s next major step should focus on increasing cadaveric donations to further strengthen transplant outcomes. "If we can bring cadaveric transplants to the forefront, our success rate will rise even more,” he added.

Pointing to the life-saving potential of organ transplantation, Türkmen emphasized that both living and deceased donor kidney transplants significantly improve patient survival rates. "When we perform kidney transplants, around 80% of patients live for at least 10 years. However, if patients remain on dialysis, we lose about half of them within five years. That’s why there is no age limit for transplantation, as long as the patient’s condition allows, we always try to proceed,” he explained.

Türkmen also revealed that one in every seven people in Türkiye suffers from chronic kidney disease, warning that the growing prevalence of such conditions makes organ donation awareness even more urgent.

Timur Erk, president of the Turkish Kidney Foundation, also addressed the panel, urging young people to adopt healthier lifestyles to prevent kidney and liver diseases.

"We should reduce our intake of pasta and rice, completely quit smoking, which contains around 200 harmful chemicals, limit carbonated beverages, and avoid trans fats,” Erk said.

The panel, part of ongoing efforts to promote organ donation across Türkiye, brought together health professionals and experts to discuss strategies aimed at increasing public participation in life-saving transplant programs.