12,000 waiting for kidney transplants

BorneoPost: MIRI: As of yesterday, there are over 12,000 patients with renal failure in Malaysia who are waiting for a kidney transplant.
The figure was revealed to reporters by chairman of the Organ Donation Awareness Promotion Action Committee, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye recently.
“The number of patients in the country on the waiting list for organ transplant is so great. For kidneys alone, there are more than 12,000,” he said.
Anyone could imagine the agony of having to wait that long for a kind donor to save them.
As such, Lee felt the need for his committee, under the Ministry of Health, to put more effort into getting more Malaysians to register as organ donors.
“Regard this donation as a charity and as a showcase of a truly caring society in the country,” he said.
He stressed that for most transplants, the organs must come from cadaveric sources.
The lack of cadaveric donors is largely due to attitude, mindset, prejudice, misconception and preconceived ideas on organ donation.
There are no legal or religious obstacles, and there is consensus on brain death which is essential to cadaveric organ retrieval.
“There are no major ethical issues in cadaveric transplants,” Lee said.
What was essential was to continuously disseminate information and motivate people of all races, colour and creed to donate organs.
Lee was in Miri to officiate at the `Organ Donation Promotion Campaign for Sarawak’ roadshow held at the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN), Bandar Baru Permyjaya.
It was organised by the State Health Department in collaboration with the said committee.