Mexico Launches National Campaign to Boost Organ Donation

Mexico’s Ministry of Health has launched a nationwide campaign to expand voluntary organ donation, as authorities highlight the country’s transplant capacity and recent gains in specialist medical training.

“Donation culture is a responsibility of all Mexicans and it is something that is increasingly promoted in our country, although we still have a long way to go. It should also be noted that new generations are much more socially conscious. They are volunteers who help create a better country through altruistic actions,” writes Sergio Medrano, Latin America Regional Director, Be The Match, in MBN.

David Kershenobich, Minister of Health, announced the initiative, titled Por un México sin lista de espera (For a Mexico Without a Waiting List). The campaign aims to increase public awareness of organ donation, address misinformation and encourage citizens to register as voluntary donors.

The organ and tissue donation process in Mexico is completely free and is guided by the principles of altruism, solidarity, and confidentiality, as reported by Mexico’s City Ministry of Health. In keeping with these principles, donors must meet specific criteria, including being of legal age, voluntarily choosing to donate, and clearly communicating their decision to their families.

Kershenobich says Mexico has consolidated its ability to carry out transplant procedures with outcomes that meet international standards. He emphasizes that a single deceased donor can save up to eight lives and that broader participation is essential to reduce waiting lists.

The campaign seeks to promote informed decision-making and encourage family discussions around donation. Authorities will encourage citizens to formally register as donors through the National Transplant Center (CENATRA) via its telephone line or official website.

Presenting recent data, Kershenobich says public hospitals now perform most transplant procedures while also guaranteeing continuous access to immunosuppressive medications required for long-term patient survival. He notes that the public system not only carries out transplants but also ensures post-operative treatment for as long as needed, allowing recipients to return to near-normal lives.

Mexico has carried out 2,783 kidney transplants in 2025, with 76% performed in public hospitals. Over the past five years, the country has completed 14,347 kidney transplants, with five-year survival rates of 93.5% for living donors and 84.2% for deceased donors.

Meanwhile, 245 liver transplants have been performed in 2025, with a five-year survival rate of 71.5%. Authorities also reported progress in heart, lung, and pancreas transplants.

Kershenobich stresses that living donation also plays a role, as individuals may donate organs such as a kidney or part of the liver to relatives, with donors and recipients often able to resume normal activities after recovery.

Officials also highlight advances in the training of medical specialists. Eduardo Clark, Deputy Minister of Sector Integration and Coordination of Medical Care Services, says the number of physicians in specialist training has tripled since 2011, rising from about 6,000 to more than 18,000 per year.

Over the past five years, the number of public-sector residency positions has doubled, increasing annual specialist training from just over 8,000 doctors to nearly 19,000. Clark describes the expansion as a long-term investment in the health system. He adds that 45,000 additional specialists have been trained in the last five years alone, strengthening institutions such as IMSS, ISSSTE, IMSS Bienestar, PEMEX, and state health services. Growth has been concentrated in areas including emergency medicine, pediatrics, surgery, internal medicine, traumatology, and epidemiology.

Clark also points to a new residency allocation model designed to remove arbitrary criteria and provide greater certainty for applicants.