Specialists urge larger public consciousness and accessibility
By Jung Da-hyun
The variety of organ donations in Korea has been declining in recent times regardless of elevated consciousness, whereas the variety of sufferers on transplant ready lists continues to rise, in accordance with the most recent knowledge.
Specialists level out that though societal attitudes towards organ donation are usually favorable, there’s nonetheless a scarcity of private dedication, and alternatives for donating organs will not be readily accessible.
Min Yoon-ki, a 48-year-old kidney transplant recipient, says his life was utterly reworked after surgical procedure.
Earlier than the transplant, on a regular basis actions comparable to consuming, ingesting water, and attending college have been difficult for Min as a result of want for normal hemodialysis to handle his kidney illness. After a decade of combating the sickness, Min lastly obtained a transplant, which allowed him to renew his research and pursue his dream of turning into a civil servant.
He shared his story with the Korean Organ Donor Program (KODP), expressing hope that others battling comparable sicknesses may have the prospect to start out a brand new life by organ donation.
Nevertheless, tales like Min’s are uncommon, because the variety of organ donors has remained stagnant for years, leaving many sufferers nonetheless ready for an opportunity at a brand new life.
In response to knowledge from KODP, organ donor registrations haven’t exceeded 90,000 yearly since reaching 100,000 in 2014, except 2019.
Specifically, the variety of brain-dead organ donors — important for precise transplants — was 483 final 12 months and has not exceeded 400 previously six years.
This 12 months has seen a continued decline. Within the first half, 37,820 folks registered as organ donors, down by 2,200 from the 40,065 registrations throughout the identical interval final 12 months, marking a 5.6 % lower.
In the meantime, the variety of sufferers ready for transplants continues to rise sharply.
The ready record has grown from 24,607 folks in 2014 to 52,000 as of June this 12 months, with kidney transplants making up the bulk. Sixty-five % of these on the ready record, or 34,254 folks, are hoping for a kidney transplant.
The Korea Organ Donation Company (KODA) underscored the important imbalance in organ donation, revealing that as of 2023, round 43,000 folks have been on the waitlist for life-saving strong organ transplants, whereas solely 483 brain-dead donors have been accessible — a virtually 100-fold hole.
The widening hole between donors and recipients has tragic penalties. Over 3,000 folks, a mean of eight folks a day, die annually whereas ready for a transplant.
Korea’s organ donation tradition additionally lags behind worldwide requirements. As of the tip of 2023, only one.78 million folks in Korea had registered as organ donors, accounting for simply 3.44 % of the inhabitants.
Korea’s fee of brain-dead organ donors per million folks was 9.37 final 12 months, a stark distinction to nations like the US, which reported 48.04, and Spain, with 49.38.
Specialists emphasised that whereas consciousness has elevated, additional progress is required.
Lee Sam-yeol, director of KODA, urged a collaborative effort amongst people, the federal government, and medical establishments to revitalize the organ donation tradition.
“Authorized foundations, systemic enhancements and a broader donation tradition are all important,” he stated.
Lee highlighted the significance of enhancing consciousness and accessibility, drawing comparisons with the U.S. and U.Okay., the place 55 % and 39 % of individuals, respectively, register as organ donors by driver’s license techniques.
“In comparison with Korea’s participation fee, which is barely 4.5 %, incorporating organ donation registration into the motive force’s license issuance course of might be an efficient technique to extend public curiosity and participation in life-saving donations,” he recommended.
Kim Dong-yeop, government director of KODP, echoed the necessity for larger consciousness and recognition of organ donation.
He acknowledged that whereas societal views on organ donation have grow to be extra optimistic, there stays a niche in private dedication.
“Household consent is essential for organ donation, and we have to domesticate a tradition the place people repeatedly talk about their organ donation needs with their relations.”