Half of potential organ donors lost last year

GiveLife NZ

19 June 2007

Half of potential organ donors lost last year

Figures released under the Official Information Act from Minister of Health Pete Hodgson to GiveLife NZ today show there were 55 potential organ donors last year but just 25 went on to become actual donors.

The Minister revealed in his response to the Official Information Act request that 21 families said no to donation and 2 families were not asked.

Pete Hodgson went on to say:

"I am unable, however to provide you with the information about the numbers of brain dead patients in each Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in New Zealand in 2006, nor the numbers of brain dead patients in each ICU who became organ donors, and the reasons for why the remainder did not."

Andy Tookey of organ donor lobby group, GiveLife NZ finds the whole situation bizarre.

"To say that they have no idea how many people die in ICU of brain death because they haven't done an audit is not credible." says Mr.Tookey.

"The last audit was done 6 years ago. Parliaments' Health Select Committee recommended an annual audit in response to my petition to them in 2002 and only now are they trying to get approval to do an audit. I am not even sure an audit is the right word as it implies huge amounts of figures. Auckland hospital had the most amount of organ donors nationwide last year, and their total was just 4. Maybe a pen and a piece of paper would have been sufficent."

ENDS

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