26 September 2023

Organ donations a victim of pandemic

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The Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA) has released data revealing the true impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on organ donation and transplantation rates, prompting calls for more people to register as a donor.

Minister responsible for OTA, Mark Coulton said that while the donation rate had doubled over the past decade, the national program took a hit in 2020.

“Last year saw a 12 per cent reduction in the number of people receiving a transplant and a 16 per cent decrease in organ donors, compared to 2019,” Mr Coulton said.

“Most significantly, 18 per cent fewer kidney transplants were performed, resulting in 153 fewer renal patients receiving the kidney transplant they need.”

He said the 2020 data exceeded early predictions, which served as a testament to the highly-skilled DonateLife teams, as well as dedicated donation and transplantation staff across the country.

Chief Executive of OTA, Lucinda Barry said the transplant sector took precautionary steps at the beginning of the pandemic, suspending kidney transplant programs from late March through to mid-May.

She said this was due to the concern about hospitals being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients and also to prevent transplant patients at high risk being exposed to the virus.

She said urgent heart, lung, liver and paediatric transplants continued during this time for critically ill patients.

“It’s not surprising to see that the 2020 outcomes have been impacted, but minimising the risks to transplant and waiting list patients has been the priority for everyone involved,” Ms Barry said.

Mr Coulton said that despite the obvious impacts, 1,270 lives were saved in the year 2020 through an organ transplant thanks to the generosity of 463 deceased organ donors and their families.

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