Thailand Launches New Organ Transplant Center at Rajavithi Hospital, Advancing Toward a National Specialty Institute and Expanding Kidney Transplants to Regional Areas

The Minister of Public Health has officially opened the Organ and Bone Marrow Transplant Center at Rajavithi Hospital, marking a major step toward establishing a national specialty institute dedicated to organ donation and transplantation. The initiative aims to strengthen Thailand’s organ donation system and significantly expand kidney transplant capacity across regional health service zones. The Ministry is also driving proactive measures to identify brain-dead organ donors in 134 affiliated hospitals nationwide, with a target of developing kidney-retrieval surgical teams in every health region and increasing regional kidney transplant surgeries to 440 cases annually. Meanwhile, Rajavithi Hospital’s Robotic Surgery Center has already performed over 1,100 procedures and continues to serve as a national training hub for advanced robotic surgery.

 

 

On 2 December 2025, Mr. Pattana Promphat, Minister of Public Health, presided over the opening ceremony of the Organ and Bone Marrow Transplant Center at Rajavithi Hospital. He also visited the Robotic Surgery & Simulation Excellence Center, accompanied by Dr. Natthaphong Wongwiwat, director-general of the Department of Medical Services, and senior executives.

The Minister stated that organ transplantation provides a new lease on life for patients with end-stage organ failure, improving survival rates and reducing long-term healthcare costs. Although Thailand has seen continuous growth in transplantation, a large number of patients remain on waiting lists—over 95% of whom are kidney failure patients undergoing dialysis.

 

 

Thailand currently performs approximately 1,000 kidney transplants each year, with around 75% conducted at transplant centers in Bangkok. To reduce inequality and improve accessibility, the Ministry of Public Health has outlined a national strategy to expand organ donation and transplant services across all 12 health regions, increasing transplant numbers from both brain-dead donors and living donors. The plan also includes the adoption of a shared decision-making system to identify eligible kidney transplant candidates before they begin dialysis, and the eventual establishment of a National Institute for Organ Donation and Transplantation to elevate the field as a national specialty.

The Minister added that Rajavithi Hospital has played a key leadership role in Thailand’s transplantation ecosystem. Since 2015, the hospital has supported nationwide capacity-building initiatives conducting workshops on organ donation conversations in regional areas, training surgeons in kidney retrieval from brain-dead donors, and offering EOD (Eye and Organ Donation) Leadership programs. Rajavithi has also developed a proactive donor-recording system used in 134 target hospitals and led public awareness campaigns encouraging organ donation declarations through hospitals, public service centers, national ID card issuance, driving license services, and online Living Will platforms. These efforts have been supported by national partners including the Thai Red Cross Society, the Transplantation Society of Thailand, the Nephrology Society of Thailand, the Kidney Foundation of Thailand, and the Organ Donation & Transplant Nurse Coordinators Association.

In recognition of its impact, Rajavithi Hospital received the 2025 Excellence in Public Sector Service Award (Outstanding Result-Driven Category), reaffirming its commitment to strengthening Thailand’s organ donation and transplantation system.

Regarding the Robotic Surgery Excellence Center, established on 25 December 2020, Rajavithi Hospital has performed more than 1,100 robotic procedures, the highest within the Ministry of Public Health. These include over 300 nerve-sparing prostate cancer surgeries and more than 200 pancreatic and duodenal surgeries representing the highest volume of robotic pancreatic surgery in Southeast Asia. The center also serves as a national training facility for Robotic Surgery (Simulation), offering programs to equip medical personnel with essential knowledge, technical skills, and hands-on experience in robotic systems to enhance access to high-quality treatment across the country.

Dr.Natthaphong further explained that the Robotic Surgery Training (Simulation) Center offers three structured training programs:

1. Basic Program – Fundamental knowledge of robotic systems and hands-on simulation training.

2. Intermediate Program – Advanced lectures and Cadaveric Workshops simulating real surgical conditions; completion of the Basic Program is required.

3. Advanced Program – In-depth instruction, real surgical observation or assistance, and analytical discussions on surgical procedures; completion of the Intermediate Program is required.

 

 

Source: Minister of Public Health