Press Releases
Over 100 bodies and organisations sign charter to promote organ donation (with photos)
More than 100 bodies and organisations have taken part in the organ donation
promotion campaign launched by the Government and signed the promotion
charter. Pledging to support related activities, the signatories will
participate in encouraging more people to accept organ donation and actively
register their wish to donate organs after death in the Centralised Organ
Donation Register (CODR) of the Department of Health (DH).
At the Organ Donation Promotion Charter Launching Ceremony today (June 25),
the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, said the Government
started inviting organisations, enterprises and schools to sign the Organ
Donation Promotion Charter in May. The signatories pledge to promote the
culture of organ donation first from their own self by encouraging their
staff or members to register their wish to donate organs. They will further
solicit support from the family members of their staff or members and help
promote the culture in the community.
He hoped that through this inside-out promotional approach, the message can
be spread widely making more people support and express their wish to donate
organs.
Dr Ko added that many Hong Kong people agree with the concept of donating
organs to help others. In the coming few months, the Government will conduct
a survey on the organ donation policy and communicate with organisations
which intend to cooperate with the Government to promote organ donation. It
hopes to explore new publicity means and organise more events to encourage
more people to turn their recognition into action with an aim to reduce the
waiting time for organ transplant.
“We have set a target for the campaign, that is, to double the current 200
000 registrations recorded in the CODR to 400 000 by the end of this year,”
he said.
In Hong Kong every year, among the deceased whose clinical conditions are
fit for organ donation, half of their family members refuse to donate the
organs of the deceased due to various reasons, including being uncertain
about the wish of the deceased. However, organ transplant is the only hope
for patients suffering from end-stage organ failure to gain a new life.
Therefore, the attitude of the public towards organ donation is one of the
most important factors to increase the chances of organ transplant for
patients. To minimise reluctance or hesitation of individuals and family
members to donate organs, and to further step up promoting the message, the
Government set up the Committee on Promotion of Organ Donation in April this
year. The committee is responsible for coordinating and consolidating the
relevant work by different Government departments and organisations to
augment public education and publicity, so as to foster and fortify the
culture of organ donation.
Members of the public can visit DH’s organ donation thematic website at
www.organdonation.gov.hk for more information on organ donation or
register their wish in DH's CODR at
www.codr.gov.hk.
Ends/Saturday, June 25, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:04
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