Health authorities said on Monday that thanks to a cross-border organ donation, an eight-month-old girl underwent a successful heart transplant on Sunday night.

In a statement, Secretary for Health, Lo Chung-mau, noted that it was the second such case of cross-boundary organ donation.

"After a then four-month-old baby girl, Tsz-hei, successfully received a heart donation from the mainland in December 2022 to extend her life, Hong Kong and the mainland established a close communication channel and procedures for cross-boundary organ transplant co-operation based on that successful experience," said Professor Lo.

He said more than 100 personnel from 18 mainland authorities worked together and raced against time to ensure the safe and smooth transportation of the organ across multiple locations.

The Health Bureau and the Hospital Authority said the heart transplant was successfully completed for baby, Whitney, at the Hong Kong Children's Hospital.

Consultant in-charge of the Cardiothoracic Surgery of HKCH, Dr Nicholson Yam - who was in charge of the transplant - said the operation lasted approximately 6.5 hours. The statement said Whitney was now under close monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit and the following 24 hours would be a critical period.

Whitney's parents expressed their gratitude to the medical teams and to the different regional authorities in finding a suitable heart, as well as thanking the donor's family for their difficult and selfless decision, giving Whitney the chance for a new life.

The Director of Cluster Services of the HA, Dr Simon Tang, said all efforts had been made through different networks to identify a suitable heart for Whitney amid the difficulties involved.

"Since there was no suitable recipient in the mainland, the mainland decided to send the donor heart to Hong Kong for transplanting to Whitney upon confirmation by experts from the two places that the heart was suitable for Whitney's transplantation," Dr Tang added.