The Kidney Transplant Support Foundation launched the National Organ Donor Programm under the auspices of Nimal Siripala De Silva, Minister of Health at Anuradhapura, with the opening of the Renal Care Research Centre, recently.

At present, where 8 out of 10 Kidney patients die for lack of resources or a related donor, this is meant to ease this to at least some extent. This is open to all well intentioned citizens islandwide, who wish to save a life. As the donors will donate without having the right to determine who the recipients are the current issues relating to monetary gains or exertion of undue pressures will not arise the Foundation said.

Hence, the current practice of transplanting only related donors will no longer be applicable. A web based Database will register those willing to donate while the relevant Nephrologists will enter details of the approx. 3000 patients awaiting transplants, also to this system. The system will automatically match donors with these patients and identify the most suitable to receive the organs that are being donated, it said in a news release.

"Already, there are over 200 potential donors who have requested registration while approx. 30 donors are prepared to donate a Kidney while alive. This directly translates to a new lease of life to 30 patients who would otherwise have died for lack of a related donor.

Carried out in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the National Kidney Foundation of Sri Lanka, 20 hospitals have initially been identified to be focal points for registration of donors. In the days to come, they will also be able to support a cadaveric transplant programme where the kidneys of registered donors who meet premature deaths will be harvested and transplanted to poor needy patients, the released said.

"Applicants for new driving licenses will also be able to have their Organ Registration included in the new licensing programm initiated by the Dept. of Motor Traffic. A "Heart" shaped icon will indicate him as an "Organ Donor". We hope to extend this to the new programme for new identity cards also that is being launched in the future," it said.

The Foundation requested citizens to register to be an Organ Donor while alive or after death and contribute to the saving of another life. Contact 011-2824373 for further information.