Oct 19,2014
KOTA KINABALU: As of last month, there are still 18,444 patients on the waiting list for organ transplants across the nation, according to the statistics released by the Health Ministry.
Most of the patients on the list required kidney transplant. Twelve patients — including five children — needed new hearts, another six required new lungs while three more were waiting for lung and hearts.
Dr Heric Corray, the director of Queen Elizabeth Hospital here, said he hoped that by appointing 24 medical consultants, allied health personnel and administrators as organ donation ambassadors, it would encourage more hospital personnel to pledge as organ donors.
A recent study revealed that only 32.2 per cent of student nurses and medical professionals in the state had registered as organ donors.
“This is because a lot of healthcare professionals are afraid to come forward and register as organ donors due to negative perceptions regarding organ donation.
“The appointed ambassadors would take on roles in sharing the importance of organ donation,” he said at the recent launch of the hospital’s Organ Donation Awareness Week .
Among those appointed were the hospital’s clinical deputy director I, Dr Yogendra Panchalingam, consultants from different departments — anaesthesiology, emergency, radiology, nephrology, orthopedic, neurology, forensic pathology, plastic surgery, urology and ophthalmology — as well as a few others from the administration unit.
Senior consultant anaesthetist Dr Lily Ng Mooi Hang said the spirit of giving was needed among the people as organ failure could happen to anyone.
Dr Heric Corray launching the Organ Donation Awareness Week at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu. With him is senior consultant anaesthetist Dr Lily Ng Mooi Hang (left).
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