A $100 MILLION plan for an organ transplant centre at Queen Mary Hospital aimed at shortening the waiting time for life-saving operations will be submitted to the Hospital Authority today. It is hoped the specialist centre will enable more patients to receive organ and bone marrow transplants locally. The teaching hospital of the University of Hongkong predicts greater demand for transplants, but not enough donors. Dr Vivian Wong, Queen Mary Hospital's chief executive, said transplant co-ordinators would liaise with all hospitals in matching donors and recipients. ''It is to get more donors so as to allow more operations to be done in Hongkong at a lower unit cost.'' The annual running costs are expected to be around $2.5 million in the first year although they are expected to rise year by year. It is estimated that a liver operation transplant overseas costs about $1.5 million, while local operations cost between $150,000 and $300,000 for different types of transplant. Dr Wong said the plan included training transplant co-ordinators for each regional hospital, providing support and back-up for other hospitals, and public education. She said a central body would also ensure better management of ''multi-organ donation'' by a single donor. The donor of the first heart transplant done in Hongkong also gave up his kidneys and liver. Dr Wong said: ''The total demand is such that all (hospitals) have to increase their workload so that the demand can be met. ''Without a transplant centre, Hongkong transplant operation cannot grow. Without sharing we cannot grow.''
