PUTRAJAYA: As of August this year, 394,809 Malaysians, or 1.2 per cent of the population, are pledged organ donors.
This is a very low number, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya, who added that several factors discourage Malaysians from donating their organs.
"There is still a lack of understanding among the public about organ donation.
“In addition, (there are cases of) family members (objecting to) hospitals taking organs (from their loved ones) when they die, (even when they are pledged donors)," Dr Hilmi said after launching the Organ Donation Forum: Ada Aku Kisah (Do I Care) here today.
Also present were Health Ministry medical development division director Datuk Dr Azman Abu Bakar and Kuala Lumpur Hospital National Transplant Resource Centre head of clinical manager Dr Omar Sulaiman.
The forum was organised by the National Transplant Resource Centre Medical Development Division Transplant Service Unit, in conjunction with the Organ Donation Awareness Week 2017, held in October each year.
Dr Hilmi said organ donation is divided into two; donors who are still alive and those who have died.
He said his ministry is in the midst of stepping up their organ donation campaign, especially among the youth, as they would have a better understanding of the issue.
Dr Hilmi said the Health Ministry has three organ transplant centres with their respective areas of expertise, namely the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (kidney transplants), the Selayang Hospital (kidney and liver) and the National Heart Institute (heart and lung).
Translated from Berita Harian