SURIN, Thailand – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has assigned a volunteer pilot with the Thai Red Cross Society to carry out an urgent organ transport mission in Surin province under the “Hearts on Wings” program. The operation used a private Cirrus SR22T aircraft to assist with the transfer of donated organs from Surin Hospital for patients awaiting transplants.
The volunteer pilot flew surgeons from Siriraj Hospital to Surin so they could perform organ retrieval surgery before the organs were transported for transplantation. The donor was a 20-year-old man who died following an accident. Organs donated included a heart, two kidneys, a liver, and a left eye.
Surin Governor Jamroen Waenphet, along with provincial administrators and medical personnel from Surin Hospital, helped coordinate the operation at Surin Bhakdi Airport. The governor and provincial public health leaders have visited the donor’s family to offer support and express gratitude for their decision to register organ donation with the Thai Red Cross Society.
Prime Minister Anutin has taken part in organ transport missions as a volunteer pilot with the Thai Red Cross Society since 2014, when he served as minister of public health. Since then, he has conducted more than 80 humanitarian flights, helping more than 200 patients receive urgent medical assistance. The premier has also received honorary pilot wings from the National Institute for Emergency Medicine and a certificate of recognition from the Thai Red Cross Society. (NNT)
