Organ donation system to be strengthened

By G.H.M. Amarasinghe

Since the first ever heart transplant in Sri Lanka back in 2017, organ transplantation has made a steady progress across the Health Service in the island nation.

However, there are numerous people from several regions in Sri Lanka who are still in need of organ transplants. Kidney patients in particular have been made to wait for far too long, and that is why the authorities have decided to strengthen the organ donation system, which is such a vital part in the process of saving lives.

In the near future, Sri Lankan authorities would ensure that the consent of a citizen of Sri Lanka in donating their organs after death would be indicated in the National ID or Driving License.

The Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease, together with the Motor Traffic Department, Ministry of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine, and Department for Registration of Persons will conduct this in an attempt to save more lives.

Sri Lanka could certainly take notes from countries like Scotland, which has introduced a very thoughtful system for donating organs after death. Scotland, in fact, has the highest proportion of organ donors in the United Kingdom.

Following the footsteps of England and Wales, Scotland recently introduced a system called ‘opt-out’, which enables the authorities to save lives. The Scottish Parliament has approved the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill, which will result in all Scottish people over 16 being deemed organ donors, unless they opt out. Currently, people have to opt in, by registering their willingness to have their organs used after their death.

Sri Lanka’s battle against kidney diseases has also been a difficult one, with hundreds of people still waiting on kidney transplantation. The Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease has conducted various programs in an attempt to solve this problem.

Most recently, The Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease, along with the Ministry of Health, constructed a building to be used as a clinic for kidney diseases in Mallawi Hospital in Mullaitivu District, which was opened by President Maithripala Sirisena via remote sensing.

In addition, ten Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants worth Rs. 16 million were installed in Mullaitivu District recently, under the ‘Let’s Stand Together for the Country’ National Program, which would guarantee clean drinking water for 2500 families in the Mullaitivu District.

The Mullaitivu District has identified approximately over 350 kidney patients, and having recognised that, Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease has distributed domestic water filters in the Mullaitivu District. The ITR has also recommended these water filters, which are indeed ideal for kidney patients, and a total of 1340 water filters have been handed to the people in Mullaitivu District, spending nearly Rs. 7 million.

President Maithripala Sirisena, who has been very supportive of the tasks carried out by the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease, stated that he is happy with the progress they have made.

“With the kidney diseases spreading in the dry zone in particular, we needed to find solutions to prevent it, and also to provide services for the people. It was a huge challenge faced by the Health Service of Sri Lanka, and most of these patients were farmers with a lot of financial difficulties. In response, we established the Presidential Task Force on Prevention of Chronic Kidney Disease, and National Kidney Trust Fund of Sri Lanka. Since then, there is standout progress in the Health Service of Sri Lanka in relation to this matter,” he said.

The National Kidney Trust Fund was established by President Maithripala Sirisena utilising funds raised for his propaganda campaign during the period when he contested as the common candidate. It has become a strong fund with the assistance of local and foreign donors. Utilising the finance of the Fund, many projects have been implemented, including the welfare activities of kidney patients, providing facilities needed for treatments, providing contribution for the research activities implemented to the prevention of kidney disease, and providing clean drinking water facilities for vulnerable areas for kidney disease.