XN000022-1990-05-14 — Page 4

MONDAY, MAY 14, 19

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"WE HOPE THE TV AND RADIO API'S WILL HELP ENHANCE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF KIDNEY DONATION AND PUT ACROSS THE MESSAGE THAT DONATING, WE ARE GIVING NEW LIFE TO OTHERS.

BY

"MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN GET A LEAFLET ON ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION FROM THE NEAREST PUBLIC HOSPITAL OR GOVERNMENT CLINIC IF THEY WANT TO OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION ON KIDNEY TRANSPLANT AND DONATION."

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO SIGN UP TO INDICATE THEIR WISH TO DONATE THEIR KIDNEYS AFTER THEY HAVE PASSED AWAY CAN OBTAIN A KIDNEY DONATION CARD FROM THE FOLLOWING PLACES:

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DISTRICT OFFICES:

CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (SEVENTH FLOOR, SOUTHORN CENTRE, HENNESSY ROAD, WAN CHAI);

LICENSING OFFICES OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT;

IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT OFFICES;

HONG KONG RED CROSS BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE: DONOR CENTRES; AND

ENQUIRY OFFICES OF ALL PUBLIC HOSPITALS AND GOVERNMENT CLINICS.

"AFTER THEY HAVE SIGNED UP, THEY SHOULD CARRY THE DONATION CARD WITH THEM ALL THE TIME SO THAT THEIR WISH WOULD FOLLOWED," THE SPOKESMAN SAID,

ACCORDING TO HOSPITAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT 1,000 PATIENTS ARE CURRENTLY ON DIALYSIS IN PUBLIC MOST OF THEM ARE SUITABLE FOR TRANSPLANT.

BE KNOWN AND

STATISTICS, ABOUT INSTITUTIONS, AND

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THERE ARE TWO SOURCES OF DONORS AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG: LIVING DONORS, WHO ARE CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE PATIENTS, AND CADAVERS.

"IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE NUMBER OF KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS CARRIED OUT IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS WAS STEADY AT AROUND 40 TO 50 EACH YEAR. OF THE 46 TRANSPLANTS LAST YEAR, ONLY 24 WERE CADAVERIC KIDNEYS, AND THE REST CAME FROM THE PATIENTS' LIVING RELATIVES WHO WERE WILLING TO DONATE A HEALTHY KIDNEY.

"THIS SITUATION IS FAR FROM SATISFACTORY. IN FACT, MANY MORE LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IF THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DIED IN ACCIDENTS OR WHO DIED OF SUDDEN ILLNESS WERK WILLING TO DONATE AND GIVE NEW LIFE TO THOSE IN NEED.

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"FOR EXAMPLE, A TOTAL OF 338 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS LAST YEAR, AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WERE POTENTIAL DONORS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE HOPED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD DISCUSS THE QUESTION OF KIDNEY DONATION AMONG THEMSELVES AND WITH THEIR FAMILIES SO THAT A QUICK DECISION COULD BE MADE WHEN A DEATH OCCURRED.

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