Drive for organ donation

IPOH – The Perak Barisan Nasional Public Service and Complaints Centre wants to increase the number of organ donors in the state.

Perak Barisan information chief Datuk Hamdi Abu Bakar, who is adviser to the centre, said it had managed to get 151 people to pledge their organs and tissues to those in need.

Among those who signed up were Hamdi and the centre’s chairman Datuk Lee Kon Yin.

The campaign was carried out with help from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Persatuan Prihatin Wanita & Ibu Tunggal Perak and Persatuan Hal Ehwal Kebajikan Perak.

Hamdi said there was a need to create greater awareness on organ and tissue donation.

”Many people are still afraid to pledge their organs and tissues.

”But these fears are due to ignorance,” Hamdi said after handing over the pledges to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital deputy director (clinical) Dr S. Kamalakshi at his office here yesterday.

Hamdi said that a fatwa had been issued to allow Muslims to donate their organs and tissues.

Dr Kamalakshi noted that 145, 293 Malaysians had pledged their organs and tissues between 1997 and Aug 1.

”In Perak, we only started our centre in 2000.

“Since then, we have received about 13,000 pledges throughout the state,” she said.

She added that the shortage of kidneys was the most critical with 11,000 people waiting for kidney transplants across the country.


Source: The Star