ID :
25520
Mon, 10/20/2008 - 09:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/25520
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MALAYSIA: ONE-THIRD OF ORGAN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS FAIL TO FIND DONORS
KUCHING (Malaysia), Oct 20 (Bernama) -- It is estimated that more than 450 Malaysians are in urgent need of new hearts and many others in need of new kidneys, livers, corneas and tissues like heart valves, skin and bones each year.
However, due to cultural taboos about organ donation, these patients
are on
a very long organ transplant waiting list and one-third of them will eventually
die while still on the list.
Sarawak Assistant Minister of Public Health Dr Soon Choon Teck said
thousands of them would be left without much hope of finding suitable
donors.
"The reality is that there is a serious shortage of organ donors in
Malaysia and this shortage is expected to rise in future. The shortage is not
due to the absolute lack of organs but because of the people's reluctance to
volunteer their organs upon death.
"The unwillingness to donate organs is not because religions prohibit it.
The major impediment appears to be people's attitude due to misconceived ideas,
prejudices and mindsets," he said at the Sarawak General Hospital's (SGH) organ
and blood donation awareness campaign in Kuching, the capital of the East
Malaysia state of Sarawak, Sunday.
The text of his speech was read by the political Secretary to the Sarawak
Chief Minister, Phang Dah Nan.
To meet the increasing demand for organ transplants, Dr Soon urged
religious groups in the country to play their role in educating the public on
the importance of "organ donation as a gift of live".
"As an organ donor, you can potentially help up to five people to have a
second chance at life and if you count the donation of tissues as well, the
number of people you will be able to help can well double," he said.
Meanwhile, SGH director Dr Zulkifli Jantan said about 94,000 people in the
country had pledged to donate their organs, with about 4,000 in Sarawak.
However, he said, there was only one successful harvest performed at the
SGH in 2000 where they harvested the kidneys, heart valve and cornea of a
brain-dead 60-year-old woman.
"Sometimes, the organ cannot be harvested because the family may object as
the donor might not have brought up the issue with them (family
members).
"Organ donors should inform their families and loved ones of their decision
as they are the ones to carry out the cause when they die. This is to make the
process easier when the time comes," he said.
-- BERNAMA
However, due to cultural taboos about organ donation, these patients
are on
a very long organ transplant waiting list and one-third of them will eventually
die while still on the list.
Sarawak Assistant Minister of Public Health Dr Soon Choon Teck said
thousands of them would be left without much hope of finding suitable
donors.
"The reality is that there is a serious shortage of organ donors in
Malaysia and this shortage is expected to rise in future. The shortage is not
due to the absolute lack of organs but because of the people's reluctance to
volunteer their organs upon death.
"The unwillingness to donate organs is not because religions prohibit it.
The major impediment appears to be people's attitude due to misconceived ideas,
prejudices and mindsets," he said at the Sarawak General Hospital's (SGH) organ
and blood donation awareness campaign in Kuching, the capital of the East
Malaysia state of Sarawak, Sunday.
The text of his speech was read by the political Secretary to the Sarawak
Chief Minister, Phang Dah Nan.
To meet the increasing demand for organ transplants, Dr Soon urged
religious groups in the country to play their role in educating the public on
the importance of "organ donation as a gift of live".
"As an organ donor, you can potentially help up to five people to have a
second chance at life and if you count the donation of tissues as well, the
number of people you will be able to help can well double," he said.
Meanwhile, SGH director Dr Zulkifli Jantan said about 94,000 people in the
country had pledged to donate their organs, with about 4,000 in Sarawak.
However, he said, there was only one successful harvest performed at the
SGH in 2000 where they harvested the kidneys, heart valve and cornea of a
brain-dead 60-year-old woman.
"Sometimes, the organ cannot be harvested because the family may object as
the donor might not have brought up the issue with them (family
members).
"Organ donors should inform their families and loved ones of their decision
as they are the ones to carry out the cause when they die. This is to make the
process easier when the time comes," he said.
-- BERNAMA
