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Cuba · Coordinación Nacional de Trasplantes · MINSAP
Donating in Cuba
Cuba operates under a presumed consent system managed by the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP). With a historical rate of 14–15 donors pmp, it maintains one of the most robust and organized transplant programs in Latin America and the Caribbean
The country has 32 hospitals with transplant coordination units and 10 accredited centers to perform transplants, distributed throughout the national territory
Key figures for Cuba
Current rate
14–15 pmp
donors per million population (MINSAP)
Growth
8 → 14
from 8.0 pmp (2013) to 14.3 pmp (2015)
Units
32
hospitals with transplant coordination
Centers
10
hospitals accredited to perform transplants
Source: MINSAP · MEDICC Review · Infomed (sld.cu)
The public system
How donation works in Cuba
Governing body and legal framework
The Coordinación Nacional de Trasplantes, under the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), oversees the entire Cuban donation and transplant system. The system operates under the principle of presumed consent: every person is considered a donor at death unless they have expressed otherwise during their lifetime.
The network has regional coordinating units in each province, composed of intensivists, nurses, and psychologists specialized in donation. The system's balance prioritizes kidney, liver, and bone marrow transplants, adapting to the availability of reagents and supplies.
How it works in practice
- 1
The system presumes your positive will: you are a donor at death unless you have stated otherwise
- 2
The hospital's regional coordinating unit identifies and evaluates potential donors with standardized protocols
- 3
In all cases, the team communicates with the family and respects the wishes expressed by the deceased
- 4
The national system assigns the organ based on objective medical criteria (compatibility, urgency, time on waiting list)
Living donation
Kidney transplant with living donor
Cuba conducts kidney transplants with related living donors within its National Transplant Program, with full coverage by the public health system
Donor requirements
- Legal adult, with legal capacity
- Blood relatives or spouse with accredited relationship
- Rigorous medical, psychological, and social evaluation
- Approval by the hospital's ethics committee
Coverage and protection
- The Cuban public health system covers 100% of the procedure
- Post-donation and post-transplant follow-up guaranteed
- Immunosuppressive medication provided by the system
- Any financial compensation for donation is prohibited
Main centers
Hospitals accredited for the National Transplant Program in Cuba, distributed across Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Camagüey, Villa Clara, and Havana
Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico "Hermanos Ameijeiras"
Havana · National reference center · Multi-organ transplant (kidney, liver, cardiac)
Instituto de Nefrología
Havana · Specialized center for kidney transplant and renal diseases
Hospital Lucía Íñiguez Landín
Holguín · Regional kidney transplant center for the eastern part of the country
Other accredited centers
Hospital de Villa Clara · Hospital de Santiago de Cuba · Hospital de Camagüey · CIMEQ (Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Quirúrgicas)
Pioneer program
The most organized transplant system in the Caribbean
"Cuba has 32 hospitals in the transplant network, of which 10 are accredited to perform transplants, distributed throughout the country" — MEDICC Review, transplant network in Cuba
Cuba increased its solid organ donation rate from 8.0 pmp in 2013 to 14.3 pmp in 2015, consolidating a system that, despite severe economic constraints, maintains national coverage with coordinating units in every province. The balance prioritizes kidney, liver, and bone marrow transplants according to supply availability
Official information
Infomed (sld.cu) maintains the official portal for the National Transplant Program
Learn about the Cuban system
Cuba demonstrates that a public, free system can achieve donation rates above the Latin American average. Your informed decision is the first step
Verified sources
This page summarizes public information from the Coordinación Nacional de Trasplantes of MINSAP (Cuba) and Infomed. Medical and legal decisions are yours and your healthcare team's