NST Leader: Too many patients, too few organs
Medical science has made such huge strides over the years but one area still largely eludes its advance: the need for healthy human organs to replace diseased ones.
Organ shortages plague Malaysia, with more than 12,500 patients awaiting transplants, primarily for kidneys. Diabetes and the rise of dialysis centres exacerbate kidney failure. Dr Azman Yacob, Deputy Director-General of Health, highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach balancing diabetes prevention and kidney replacement strategies.
The shortage stems not from lack of expertise but from a severe deficit of organ donors. Currently, Malaysia has 1.3 deceased organ donors per million people, a stark contrast to countries like the UAE and Spain, which boast 20-30 per cent acceptance rates. Despite an improvement from 89 to 102 deceased donor pledges this year, this remains insufficient.
Public awareness campaigns, while valuable, must delve deeper to uncover and address barriers discouraging organ donation. The gap between 450,000 registered donors and the actual number of organs harvested warrants scrutiny. A robust system should include regular follow-ups with donors and their families, and potential incentives such as free health screenings could spur engagement.
Cultural and religious taboos surrounding donations must also be dismantled. While legislation mandating organ donation—like Singapore's—is a last resort, Malaysia should exhaust all voluntary measures before considering such measures.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
