Report about organ donation in The Star newspaper, 18th October 2010.
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 11,000 patients are still waiting for organ and tissue transplants, said Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
The Health Minister said 11,000 patients were in need of kidney transplant while 25 others need transplants for liver, six (heart), four (lungs) and three for both heart and lungs.
“Despite the increasing number of organ pledgers and donors, the number of actual organs donors is very small,” said Liow in his speech before launching the National Organ Donation Awareness Week 2010 celebrations.
Liow said based on a survey by the National Transplant Resource Centre, the number of donors was low because family members often refused to have the organs of their loved ones transplanted.
“Alhough a person has pledged his organs, his family members can still put a stop to the donation when the time comes for the transplant to take place,” he said at a press conference after his speech.
He said the most common reasons given were fear and many were related to religion.
“We hope those who have pledged their organs would inform their family members of their wishes, like Winnie Chen,” he said.
It was reported that mechanical heart patient Chen expressed her wish to donate her organs before she died recently.
Liow said that if family members understood the importance and urgency of this matter, they would consent to it.
“Time is gold in conducting these transplants. We would like to remind the public that the donation has to take place immediately after the person has died in order for the organs to be functional for another person,” he said.
The ministry, he said, would continue to educate and create awareness for family members to allow organ donation pledges to be fulfilled.
According to the centre, 147,092 – less than 1% of the Malaysian population – have pledged to donate their organs from 2006 until September 2010.
From that figure, 66,599 were male while 79,606 female.
The majority of those who pledged their organs were Chinese, totalling 85,100.
Selangor recorded the highest number of pledgers at 29,743.
He said the ministry was drafting out a new law to address several issues, including monitoring organ donations and transplants in the country or abroad and to prevent Malaysians from turning to the black market.
The National Organ Donation Awareness Week 2010 celebration, held for the first time in Malaysia, was themed 1Malaysia 1Harapan – Organ Donation Saves Lives.
Yet again, i urge all my blog readers to pledge to donate their organs and tissues and also to encourage their family and friends to do the same. Thank you.
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