DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A Des Moines medical center has announced that after three decades of operation, it will shut down its kidney and pancreas transplant operation.

MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center announced in a news release Thursday that the closure is effective Oct. 1. The program had been suspended earlier this year as hospital officials questioned the need for two transplant centers in Des Moines.

MercyOne says it will work with the city’s other transplant center at Iowa Methodist Medical Center to help those in need. The release says the closure affects four MercyOne employees.

The Des Moines Register reports that Iowa Methodist Medical Center handles more than twice as many kidney operations per year as MercyOne’s transplant team.

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