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The reluctance of people to donate organs can be attributed to several reasons. The main reason is the traditional belief that the body should be buried intact after death. Another reason is fear that once their willingness to donate organs is made known to the doctor, the doctor will not make the greatest effort to save their lives.
To rectify misconceptions and to change people's traditional thinking, the Department of Health has been actively promoting organ donation through health talks, audio-visual resource material production and loan-out service, telephone hotlines and mass media interviews. It has also organised out-reaching promotion programmes such as road-shows at strategic locations as well as for specific target
groups.
The Department also collaborates regularly with other agencies. In August to September 1996, it co-organised with the Hospital Authority, Metro Broadcast and TVB to launch a function called "New Life" Organ Donation Campaign which incorporated a press conference, an opening concert, road shows, hospital visits and a closing TV show.
Programmes in progress include a series of organ donation exhibitions held at various KCRC stations until June 1997. Starting in early 1997, a mobile health education centre will be operated by the Department using a "Donormobile" funded by a grant of $4.4 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Trust Fund.
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