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Source:
www.moh.gov.sg |
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Wider Organ Donation Law Gives New Lease of
Life to 144 People |
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In the two years since the wider organ
donation law came into effect, 144 people have received the gift of
life. |
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69 people received a new kidney, 10 people
have liver transplants, 5 people got a new heart and 60 people have
their sights restored. |
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All of them have benefitted from 35 donors
under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA), 7 of whom died of accidents
and 28 of non-accidental causes. |
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Since July 2004, HOTA has been extended
beyond kidney to include liver, heart, and cornea. It is no longer
restricted to deaths due to accidents. There were on average only 13.5
cadaveric kidney transplants obtained through HOTA per year between 1988
and 30 June 2004. |
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The change in HOTA has improved the
situation and in fact has cut the waiting list for cadaveric kidney
transplant by 10 per cent. In 2003, there was a peak of 673 End Stage
Renal Failure (ESRD) patients on the waiting list. Currently, there are
605 patients on the waiting list. The waiting lists for the other organs
are 13 for liver, 3 for heart and 18 for cornea respectively. |
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The living donor organ transplant
programme has also received much support from the public. Since 1
July 2004, 51 local patients received kidneys from living donors
and 10 local patients were transplanted with livers from living
donors. |
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The Ministry of Health (MOH) hopes to
see greater acceptance of living donor organ transplantation as an
alternative to cadaveric organ transplantation. Organ
transplantation remains the best treatment option for patients
with organ failure. |
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The Ministry has put in place several
initiatives to increase the living donor organ transplantation
rate. |
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These include bringing in medical
experts from other countries to review our living donor organ
transplant programme, increasing professional, patient and public
awareness of living donor renal transplantation and providing
individualised counseling to ESRD patients and their family
members. |
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We hope that these efforts will allow
more people to benefit from living donor renal transplantation
instead of having to depend on renal dialysis. |
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MOH would like to encourage Singaporeans to
continue their support for HOTA. The generosity of organ donors and
their families will go a long way in improving the lives of many people
suffering from organ failure. |
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Source:
www.moh.gov.sg Press Release 6
Jul 2006 |
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FrontPage Edition: Tue 1 August 2006
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