ER doctors to play a role in boosting organ donations

Star: PUTRAJAYA: Doctors stationed at emergency rooms can play a role by talking to family members about organ donations.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said while the number of organ pledges was high, the actual donation was low.
“There is good response to the organ donation campaign but it is at the ‘last lap’ that we face difficulties.
“We are getting doctors at emergency rooms to remind family members about organ donation. This is applicable to families and relatives of patients who are brain dead or accident victims,” he told reporters at his ministry.
“It can be done whether or not the person has pledged their organs. Pledges can be done on the spot,” he said.
Over 120,800 people pledged to become donors last December.
According to the National Transplant Resource Centre, 4,181 people are on the waiting list for kidney, heart and lung transplants.
Statistics show that one in three patients on the waiting list dies before a donor is found.
A total of 206 people donated 435 organs and tissues between 1976 and last year.
Liow said there was a lot of resistance from families when it came to fulfilling the pledges.
He said the Government had no plans to pass a law to compel Malaysians to donate their organs.
Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin said the emergency room was a likely catchment area for organ donations.
He said support staff like nurses and hospital assistants could be roped in to talk to family members on pledges that had been made.
He said the staff should be trained on how to approach the bereaved relatives to talk about the pledges.