FILIPINOS URGED TO REGISTER AS ORGAN DONOR WHEN THEY DIE?

MANILA, Philippines -  Health officials in the Philippines are encouraging people to register as voluntary organ donors upon their death, for the benefit of patients who need organ transplants.

Antonio Paraiso, of the Philippine Organ Donation and Transplantation Programme, which falls under the country’s Health Department, said the organisation has six scheduled simultaneous registration drives in six different locations on February 28.

The registrations will be held in San Fernando City, La Union and Tuguegarao, both in northern Luzon; Naga City in southern Luzon; Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Manila; Memorial Circle in suburban Quezon City; and Davao City in the southern Philippines, Paraiso said.
“We are raising awareness among people so that they can officially register as organ donors” said Paraiso, adding the announcement was made more than a week before the event to attract large numbers of participants.

• The organisation is aiming to set a Guinness World Record of the highest number of people joining a campaign for voluntary organ donation, said Paraiso, adding that the awareness campaign is meant to stop the sale of internal organs in the Philippines.

The health department actively discourages the selling and trafficking of internal organs. It has promoted instead voluntary donation of organs. 

In recent times, the Philippines has become a medical tourism destination for foreigners in need of kidney transplants, due to the rising number of poor people selling theirs. 

For a while, the rising number of foreigners who could offer big money for kidney transplantation became detrimental to residents in need of the same operation. 

How, Congress passed a law preventing transplant operation with paid organs. Organ donors must be voluntary or relatives of patients in need of transplant operation under the law.
Source: Agencies