Organ donation and transplantation increased further in 2015

Organ donation and transplantation increased further in 2015

There were 53 deceased organ donors in 2015, the largest number ever in New Zealand. This is a 15% increase from the 46 donors in 2014 and a 47% increase from the 36 donors in 2013.

These 53 deceased organ donors donated organs (heart, lungs, liver, kidney or pancreas) to 158 transplant recipients in 2015, a 14% increase from the 138 recipients in 2014.

In 2015 there were also 78 live donors who donated a kidney or a part of the liver to 78 recipients.

As a result of both deceased donors and live donors, the number of New Zealand organ transplant recipients rose to 232 in 2015 (the largest number ever) from 214 in 2014– an 8% increase.

Dr Stephen Streat, Organ Donation New Zealand (ODNZ) Clinical Director, said that ODNZ had been greatly assisted by an additional $500,000 allocation per annum funding to ODNZ for four years which had commenced in mid2012.

“ODNZ continues to work with health professionals in hospitals to ensure that every situation where organ donation might be possible is recognised, that donation is compassionately discussed with every such patient’s family by a health professional with special knowledge and skill. ODNZ believes that the increase in deceased organ donors has resulted from the quality program which the additional funding had supported, with the support and commitment of intensive care nurses and doctors throughout the country.”

ENDS

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