WCTF Argentina

WCTF formed its first center, FMTN (Fondo Mundial de Transplantes Para Ninos) Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January 1990.

FMTN was the operating entity of WCTF in Argentina. At that time, organ transplantation was new to the country, and pediatric organ transplantation was only just beginning.

From the period of 1990 to 1996, FMTN, and its Executive Director, Cristina Palmero:

• coordinated training programs abroad for physicians from
  Argentina;
• raised public awareness of organ transplantation via newspaper, television and radio, while encouraging organ donation;
• placed organ transplantation high on the country's legislative agenda;
• brought visibility of pediatric organ transplantation to the Argentine legislature;
• procured needed medical equipment for effective pediatric transplant surgery;
• raised money for support and care of families traveling to Buenos Aires whose children required transplant surgery; and
• raised the visibility of pediatric organ transplantation, such that it was taken up as a public cause.

In the mid 1990s pediatric organ transplantation became mainstream in Argentina, with state-of-the-art facilities and physician training, much to the credit of FMTN who brought organ transplantation to the forefront of public policy discussions.

In fact, during that time period, legislation passed requiring all medical insurers to cover transplantation procedures, thus relieving the historic financial burden taken on by families of transplant patients.

Argentina is now capable of performing all major types of life-saving pediatric organ transplantation, and does so with the active support of the government, public and private health care providers, and insurers.