On Sept 6, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced a new organ-donation pledge feature on MySejahtera, which was incorporated to shed light on the importance of organ donation and increase the low transplant rate in the country.
Malaysians can now easily sign up to be an organ donor through the app by filling in the required information and submitting the form. The info will reach the National Transplant Resource Centre, where it will be stored.
“If there is a case of death in any hospital and [if the patient is] eligible for organ donation, it will be shown in the system,” Khairy said.
According to statistics, 10,442 people are waiting for organ donation in Malaysia, while only 2,700 transplant cases involving donated organs have been performed since 1975. Malaysia, as such, ranks as one of the 10 countries with the lowest transplant rates in the world, with 2.84 transplants per million population.
And, according to the National Kidney Foundation, a dialysis patient needs to wait for 12 to 15 years on average for a transplant. This is concerning given the large volume of patients who require the procedure, many of whom are burdened with haemodialysis to treat end-stage kidney failure.
Requirements and criteria
Most Malaysians are eligible to sign up to be an organ and tissue donor, except those who suffer from infectious diseases such as HIV-AIDS, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis. Those younger than 18 require written permission from their parents.
To facilitate consent from the family, Malaysians who wish to be organ donors are advised to inform their family members about their intention.
Why donate?
Being an organ donor clearly means you will help and save the lives of those in need. It also exempts your family from hospital charges pre-death from the day of admission for transplant procedures until your date of death, provided you’re admitted to a government hospital.
For donations in a private hospital, charges incurred from a patient’s admission until death will be the responsibility of the family or heirs.
Rest assured that even if you have signed up to be an organ donor, you will still be given full treatment to the best of a medical professional’s or organisation’s ability. Your organs will not be taken away from you until and unless you have been declared brain dead by a doctor.
Ultimately, your medical condition at the time of death will determine which organs or tissue can be donated. This will be assessed by a medical specialist.
Rites and religious beliefs
For donors, an open-casket funeral is possible as the process of organ donation will not result in mutilation or disfigurement of the body.
According to the official FAQ from the government portal dermaorgan, organ donation is permitted under Islam and from all religious perspectives. It is in fact encouraged, as organ donation is considered one of the most noble and honourable contributions you can make to society.
Read the original article here, which includes info on how to register as a donor on MySejahtera. Also check out the Living Organ Donation booklet by the ministry of health.
This article was written by DOC2US, a mobile application that allows you to talk to a doctor or any healthcare professionals via text chat at any time and from anywhere.