yee said covid does increase the pressure on b.c.’s program as it is a new disease that results in people losing lung function. but with b.c. on track to perform a record-breaking number of lung transplants this year, he was confident the covid-linked transplants had not caused harm to other patients on the waitlist.
“the extra transplants done this year should mitigate the demand without disadvantaging the other people waiting,” he said, pointing to the fact that the average wait time for lung transplant surgery in b.c. remains consistent at several months and the number of people who have died while on the waitlist has remained in the low single digits for the past three years.
in 2020, there was a record 55 double-lung transplants performed in b.c., while so far this year there have been 52. of the four lung transplant programs across canada, b.c. has the highest ratio of service delivery per population.
yee said at his last check, there have been 12 lung transplants in canada as a result of covid, with nine in b.c., three in ontario, and none at the other transplant centres in quebec and alberta.
“i think this is a feel-good story for the province of b.c.,” he said, pointing to the high “rescue” rate of patients facing fatal disease. “the vast majority of people on the planet do not have access to this kind of care.”