SASKATOON - The Saskatchewan government says kidney transplants will partially resume in the province.

Health Minister Don McMorris says the organ transplants from living, related donors will begin this month.

McMorris made the announcement Friday morning in Saskatoon with officials from the Saskatoon Regional Health Authority, where the province's kidney transplant program is based.

"I am very pleased that we have partially resumed the kidney transplant program," McMorris said in a news release.

"As well, we will continue to do assessments and follow-up for many kidney transplant recipients."

The provincial government temporarily shut down its kidney transplant program in July 2009 due to staffing problems.

Transplant patients from Saskatchewan have been going to Edmonton since then.

A review of the province's kidney transplant program, done by the Saskatchewan Transplant Steering Committee, has made recommendations to improve services.

The review says that while there is sufficient resources to restart the living donor program, more surgical support is needed before transplants from deceased donors can begin.

"Until changes are made in Saskatoon, our recommendation would be to continue with Edmonton collaboration until a stable model in Saskatoon can be agreed upon," the review states.

In 2009, 22 Saskatchewan patients received kidney transplants — 19 from deceased donors and three from living donors.

The review also states that more complex patients should continue to be served in Edmonton, although it says such cases represent a minority of wait-listed Saskatchewan patients.

Further, it states that while there are well-trained people who are undergoing transplant training in Canada, more financial incentives are needed so that successful candidates can dedicate themselves to transplants rather than relying on general urology "to maintain a reasonable income."

McMorris said the health ministry and the Saskatoon Health Region support the direction of the report, and that the province is providing increased funding of $1.5 to $2 million for the transplant program. He said that includes the recruitment of transplant surgeons and to promote organ donation.

The president and CEO of the health Region, Maura Davies, said the staff are grateful to colleagues in Edmonton who have been providing transplant services.

"With their assistance in undertaking these transplants, it means we are caught up. There is no patient backlog for living donor transplants," Davies said in a release.