By Sharifah Nong Jasima & Natasha Jee
KUCHING: A positive trend has been observed in organ donation and transplantation in Malaysia, with a rise in the number of donors, pledges and organ transplant in recent years.
It is a significant milestone for organ donation in the country as, according to last year’s data, the nation has achieved a rate of 1.36 donors per million population.
However, in Sarawak, there are still challenges and significant cultural barriers and misconceptions surrounding organ donation.
In response to this challenge, Dr Uma Devi Ramadass, the Sarawak state organ procurement coordinator and also the doctor-in-charge of the Hospital Organ Procurement Unit at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) and her team are making efforts to educate the public about the importance of organ donation and to dispel myths surrounding the process.
Here, Dr Uma sits with New Sarawak Tribune to share her insights on the importance of organ donation, factors leading to reluctance of individuals and families over organ donation and efforts to address these barriers in Sarawak.
New Sarawak Tribune: Can you briefly tell us what is organ donation about?
Dr Uma: Organ donation involves the generous act of giving one’s organs or tissues.
It is to replace the diseased organ or tissue in a patient with end-stage organ failure.
Here in Malaysia, when one pledges to donate their organs and tissues after death, it shows their noble thought and it’s best their wishes are informed to their family.
Even if one never pledged, if the family wants to donate after their loved one’s death, they still can.
Why is it important for individuals to donate their organ after death?
Organ or tissue transplant is replacement of a terminally damaged organ or tissue with another functioning organ or tissue from a donor. This can only occur through donations of organ or tissue.
It is important to note that a single deceased donor has the potential to save up to eight to 10 lives through organ donation.
Most importantly, it is about having the heart to give and help others.
How many Sarawakians have pledged to donate their organ after death?
As of last year, out of the country’s population of 34.5 million, Sarawak had the second-lowest number of people who had pledged to donate their organs after death, with only 0.56 per cent.
Not everyone who pledges to donate their organs after death becomes a donor, as there are many factors to consider.
Can you tell us how is the organ donation awareness in Sarawak?
Here in Sarawak, the awareness still lacks. From my observations, maybe it is still due to cultural beliefs.
So we are making efforts to break this. Because from a religious point of view, all religions support organ donation. They think it is the most noble thing one can do as mankind.
It is a kind act, where after one has passed away and you can donate your organs to save another life, allowing eight to ten people to live.
It is the most noble act, because you help others to live.
How many Sarawakians are on the wait list for organ transplant?
Nearly 10,000 patients with end-stage organ failure, including children, are waiting for transplants in the country.
For example, the whole of last year, we had a waiting list of 10,000 people, and a deceased only has two kidneys. Unfortunately, this is not enough to accommodate the 10,000 people who need kidneys. Hence, the long wait.
Sadly, there are about 4,600 Sarawakians currently undergoing dialysis, and approximately 70 per cent of them are suitable for a kidney transplant.
It is an agonising wait of about 10 years before they can undergo a transplant. Why the long wait? This is because we still have a long way to go in terms of deceased donors.
What type of organs can be donated?
Organs and tissues such as the cornea of the eye, kidneys, lungs, liver, heart, and bones can be donated.
Two donated kidneys can already help four patients on the waiting list, as two patients can receive one kidney each while the remaining two can take their place for dialysis. For a single deceased donor, they could potentially save up to eight lives.
However, individuals with a history of cancer, autoimmune disease, or infectious disease cannot become donors.
What are the challenges faced when calling for people to come forward to donate their organ after death?
It is still a challenge as not many people are aware of the importance of donating organs and tissues after death.
One of the challenges is also people’s mindset and cultural barriers on the matter, such as fear of what will happen in the afterlife.
The other challenge that I face is the questions I get from people if any possible organ donation will delay the funeral process. The answer is no, it will not delay the funeral process because we want the process of extracting the organs to be quick.
Another concern that has been addressed to me is how the body will look like after an organ donation.
I get frequently asked if the body appearance will look imperfect for the funeral. No, the body will still look normal. We will replace what we procure.
For instance, when the cornea is removed, when the body is returned the deceased body will be like they are sleeping.
People also assume that donations happen immediately after pledges. That is not the case, we will still have to see if the person is eligible to donate and there is no guarantee that a pledger will be a donor.
How can people pledge to donate their organ?
The public can pledge to donate their organs on MySejahtera.
While we encourage people to come forward to pledge as donors, we also hope the pledgers can also inform their families of their noble intentions.
We also want Sarawakians to come forward, family initiated organ donation whereby after death of a family member the family approaches the doctor and says can their loved one donate his or her tissue or organ to help others.
For donors, they must inform their noble thought to their family. This is so that the family carries out their wishes.
Any hope or words of encouragement for those who pledge to donate their organs?
One really has to be a chosen one to become an actual donor after death.
It is a highest noble act in Islam , Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism.
Meanwhile, in Kuching, those interested in learning more can also visit the unit, located in the main lobby of SGH, and walk-ins are welcome to sign up as donors.
