Health sector representatives re-advocate for an “opt-out” system to replace the current “opt-in” approach to boost potential donors as Hong Kong has one of the lowest organ donation rates globally, with fewer than four donors per million people.
They also call for enhanced public education to overcome the insistence on the tradition of keeping the body intact after death.
Despite over 400,000 voluntary registrations in the Centralized Organ Donation Register since 2008, the actual donation rate remains low, with only 54 individuals donating their organs after death in the past two years.
The Convenor of Hong Kong Organ Donation Action Group Chau Ka-foon indicated the low rates are partly due to the Chinese cultural belief in keeping the body intact and a lack of communication among families regarding donation wishes.
Spain and Australia are the two countries with the highest organ donation rates in the world. In 2022, Spain had 46 organ donors per million people.
Both countries have appointed organ transplant coordinators, consisting of intensive care specialists, to identify potential organ donors in hospitals.
Chau suggested that each emergency hospital in Hong Kong establish a specialized team of intensive care specialists and organ transplant coordinators to better coordinate and identify potential donors.
Founder of Hong Kong Organ Transplant Foundation Kelvin Ho Kai-leung advocates for adopting an opt-out system, like those in Spain, to expand the potential organ donor pool.
He noted that Hong Kong currently uses an opt-in system, requiring family consent for donations after citizens express their wishes.
He considered this approach passive, while the opt-out system would assume all citizens consent to organ donation unless they explicitly refuse during their lifetime.
Advisor of Our Hong Kong Foundation Kevin Lau Chung-hang supported implementing the system in Hong Kong but suggested adopting Spain’s practice of allowing families to veto decisions.
Lau stressed the need for public education to address fears about “damaging the body.”
Ho further stated that youths are the key to increasing organ donation rates in the future.
“It’s very important to instill in this blank slate generation the idea that organ donation can continue the legacy of love from their families and selflessly save the lives of patients and their families,” he said.
(Cheng Wong)
