The Gift of Life: A Guide to the Organ Donation Process

Organ donation is a humanitarian act, and registration is increasingly common. If you’re looking to learn how to sign up, read on!

1Registration Guide

There are three ways to register as an organ donor:

Method 1: Direct Registration

• Go to the National Organ Coordination and Allocation Center, Room 230, House C2, Viet Duc Hospital (40 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi or Gate 1, 16 Phu Doan, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) during office hours from Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

• Alternatively, you can register directly at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City if you’re in the southern provinces.

Note: Bring your ID card and a passport photo (any size). If you don’t have a photo, the center will take one for free, and you’ll receive it after 15 minutes.

Registration Guide

Method 2: Registration by Mail

Download the form from the following link:

http://vnhot.vn/…/mau-don-dang-ky-hien-mo-tang-sau-khi-chet…

Print and fill out the form, then send it to the National Organ Coordination and Allocation Center, Room 230, House C2, Viet Duc Hospital (40 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), along with a passport photo and a copy of your ID/passport/residence card (no notarization required). This method is available regardless of your location in the country.

You can send the documents by mail or in person. At the time of registration, there is no need for a medical examination or testing. Registration and card issuance are free of charge. You will receive your card within 2-4 weeks from submitting your application. If you haven’t received it by then, contact the registration center for assistance.

Method 3: Online Registration

Visit the website http://vnhot.vn, the ELECTRONIC GATEWAY – National Coordination Center for Human Body Part Transplantation, under the Ministry of Health. Proceed to register online in the “Organ Donation Registration” section.

Then, complete the registration process following the provided instructions.

2Eligibility Requirements for Organ Donation

Eligibility Requirements for Organ Donation

According to Article 5 of the 2006 Law on Human Tissue and Organ Donation and Collection, and Cadaver Donation and Collection, the following are the requirements to donate human tissue and organs, and cadavers:

• Individuals aged 18 and above;
• Individuals with full civil act capacity.

3Rights and Benefits of Organ Donors

Rights and Benefits of Organ Donors

According to Article 17 of the 2006 Law on Human Tissue and Organ Donation and Collection, and Cadaver Donation and Collection, donors of human tissue and organs are entitled to the following rights and benefits:

• Free health care and recovery immediately after donating human body parts at a medical facility and periodic health check-ups for free;
• Free health insurance card;
• Priority in receiving human tissue and organ transplants when indicated by a medical facility;
• Awarded the “For Public Health” insignia as prescribed by the Minister of Health.

According to Circular No. 104/2017/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance, living donors of human body parts are entitled to periodic health check-ups, including the following support contents:

• Exemption from periodic health check-up fees according to medical professional guidance issued by the Minister of Health, based on the price list of health check-up services for living donors, as determined by the competent authority.
• Support for accommodation expenses in cases where the donor lives far from the medical facility and cannot return home on the same day (excluding cases where the donor has to be hospitalized for examination and treatment within the scope of health insurance coverage): VND 450,000/day/person, up to a maximum of 02 days.
• Support for meals during the actual days of periodic health check-ups, up to a maximum of 03 days/check-up: VND 200,000/day.
• Support for travel expenses from home to the medical facility for periodic health check-ups and vice versa, according to the price of public transport and personal means of transport (if any).

Note: Living donors must present a discharge letter (stating “donated human body parts”) or other documents proving their donation and personal identification when undergoing periodic health check-ups.

Funeral Arrangement and Burial Support

Funeral Arrangement and Burial Support for Donors

• In cases where the medical facility, the body-receiving and preservation facility, or the donor’s family organizes the funeral and burial, they will be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred, up to a maximum of 10 months of the basic salary.
• The donor’s family is entitled to burial support equivalent to 10 months of the basic salary. They must present documents proving their relationship to the donor to the medical facility to receive support for funeral arrangements and burial as stipulated.

4 Procedure for Receiving Organs from Donors

Procedure for Receiving Organs from Donors

If the donor is critically ill, injured, or diagnosed with a poor prognosis, their family should contact the coordination unit at 0913 677 016.

Upon receiving the information, the coordination unit will assess and provide support for the donor’s treatment if their condition is treatable.

If the donor’s condition is untreatable, there will still be enough time to evaluate the cause of death and determine if there are any contraindications for organ donation. It will also be possible to assess whether the donor’s organs are suitable for transplantation.

The timeframe for organ retrieval is 12-48 hours if the above conditions are met. Typically, more organs can be transplanted from brain-dead donors than from heart-dead donors.

We hope that this guide has provided you with the necessary information and clarity on the organ donation registration process!