DONOR KIDNEYS FOR TRANSPLANTATION

Dr Koh Lam Son asked the Acting Minister for Health whether there is an improvement in the availability of donor kidneys for transplantation since the implementation of the opt-out policy in January 1988.

The Acting Minister for Health (Mr Yeo Cheow Tong): Mr Speaker, Sir, there has been an improvement in the availability of donor kidneys for transplant since the Human Organ Transplant Act was brought into operation in January 1988.

A total of 23 cadaveric kidneys were transplanted in 1988 as compared to 16 in 1987. Of the 23 cadaveric kidneys in 1988, 16 were obtained under the Human Organ Transplant Act, whilst seven were obtained under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act.

Although the Human Organ Transplant Act has greatly facilitated kidney donation by people who died from accidents, donation by those dying from non-accidental causes under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act is still important.

Dr Koh Lam Son (Telok Blangah): Three supplementary questions, Sir. Can I ask the Minister how many Singaporeans up to date have opted out under the Human Organ Transplant Act and what is the Ministry doing to convert them? (2) How many Muslim Singaporeans have opted in? (3)In the 16 cases where kidneys were obtained under the Human Organ Transplant Act, in how many of these cases were there objections by relatives, and how did the Ministry handle the problem?

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, a total of 5,281 Singaporeans have opted out as at 1st January 1989. The Ministry is not doing anything to persuade these people to change their status because our commitment is that everybody has a free choice and we will only persuade them through public education rather than on an individual approach.

Secondly, a total of 203 Muslims have opted in to-date.

With regard to objections from families of those who have died from accidental causes, Sir, only a few of the family members were unhappy but, after our counselling and persuasion by doctors and our medical social workers, they accepted the fact that the donation of kidneys is allowed under the Act and it is an important gesture by the family.