Spain’s health ministry said that it was the solidarity of Spanish citizens, combined with an excellent network of hospitals and transplant specialists “that has made Spain the world leader in transplants for the past 23 years”.
One reason Spain carries out so many transplants is because all Spaniards are automatically put on the organ donation register and can then choose to opt out; the opposite of many countries such as the UK where people can choose to go on the register but are not automatically added.
“This year we have seen historic figures both in terms of donors and all kinds of transplants,” Rafael Matesanz, head of the ONT, told El PaÃs.