Permanent mechanism for boundary-crossing organ transplants should be established, Lo Chung-mau says

The Hong Kong Children's Hospital has earlier received a shipment of cord blood from the Mainland for the treatment of a five-year-old girl suffering from Thalassaemia major.

The Secretary for Medical and Health, Lo Chung-mau, said today (July 27) that the cord blood had to be kept at minus 178 degrees Celsius and in a sterile environment. With the assistance of the Red Cross and the General Administration of Customs, the cord blood was successfully transported to Hong Kong and it only took less than 30 minutes to clear the customs, according to Lo.

Lo also pointed out that at present, cross-boundary organ transplantation requires discussion with the Mainland on a case-by-case basis.

"I do hope that a permanent mechanism could be established so that when someone from the Mainland or Hong Kong donates an organ, the organ will be transplanted across the boundary through the mechanism."