The organ transplant chain in Canarias relies on a complex logistical operation where every minute is crucial. The Canary Emergency Service (SUC), under the Canary Islands Government's Health Department, plays a fundamental role in ensuring organs and healthcare personnel reach their destination in the best possible condition.
Data reveals a significant increase in these missions. During 2025, the SUC's medicalized helicopters were mobilized on 20 occasions to transport organs and healthcare professionals between Gran Canaria and Tenerife. In the first six months of 2026, 14 services had already been completed, suggesting a rise in the frequency of these interventions.
Coordination is key. The SUC maintains constant communication with extraction teams and transplant coordination units at hospitals within the Canary Health Service. From the emergency room, routes, travel times, and the most suitable means of transport are supervised to preserve organ viability.
The SUC's logistical deployment includes one aircraft, three medicalized helicopters, and an extensive network of ground resources, such as medicalized ambulances, sanitary ambulances, and basic life support units, as well as rapid intervention vehicles. The choice of resource depends on factors like distance, urgency, and the geographical characteristics of each inter-island transfer.
The SUC's mission is not limited to organ transport; it also facilitates the travel of specialized doctors and nurses for extractions and implants. This inter-institutional coordination, involving transplant teams and emergency services, is vital in a fragmented territory like the Canary Islands, where distances add logistical complexity.
The ultimate goal, according to the public company Gestión de Servicios para la Salud y Seguridad en Canarias, is to ensure that each donated organ arrives on time to offer another person a chance at life.
