HUMAN ORGAN TRANSPLANTS

Mr Imram bin Mohamed asked the Minister for Health (a) how many persons have registered their objection to the removal of their organs under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA); (b) how many Muslims have pledged their kidneys for donation under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act; (c) how many persons have become recipients of organs under HOTA since its incorporation and how many of them are Muslims; and (d) how many Muslims who died from accidents had their organs transplanted over the same period as in (c) and how many of these victims had not pledged their kidneys for donations before their fatal accidents but had their kidneys subsequently donated by their next of kin.

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: a) As at 30th September 1996, there were 7,499 persons who had registered their objections to the removal of their kidneys under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA).

b) As at 30th September 1996, there were 5,988 Muslims who had pledged their kidneys under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act.

c) There were 147 kidney recipients under HOTA since its incorporation, of whom 8 were Muslims.

d) Four Muslims who died from accidents had their kidneys harvested for transplant. All of them were not kidney pledgers and consent for kidney donation was obtained from their next-of-kin.