11. Kidney Transplants—Funding and Initiatives

[Sitting date: 29 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:11. Text is subject to correction.]

11. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National - Hunua) to the Minister of Health : What investment has the Government made to increase the number of live kidney donor transplantations in New Zealand?

Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health): An extra $4 million has been allocated to establish a national renal transplant service to increase the number of live kidney donor transplantations over the next few years. The target is to increase transplants by 10 per year, year on year, over 4 years, which will mean that an extra 100 people will receive kidney transplants over the next 4 years. The new renal transplant service will be led by doctors, nurses, and renal transplant experts and will help us better coordinate and improve transplantation services across the nation.

Dr Paul Hutchison : Why has this Government made investing in kidney transplantations a priority?

Hon TONY RYALL : It is part of a wider plan that the Government has had to improve organ donation rates in New Zealand. The new service includes specialised staff to support donors and recipients throughout the transplantation process, from providing education for interested potential donors to organising blood tests and carrying out pre-surgery preparation. This increase in funding—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! I apologise to the Minister, but it is difficult to hear because the Minister is talking and addressing the person who has asked the question. It is very difficult to hear the answer.

Hon TONY RYALL : This investment is part of a wider plan that this Government has to increase the rates of organ donation in New Zealand. It builds on an investment of $4 million that was made in Budget 2012 to improve donation services. This additional $4 million will provide new services from specialised staff to support donors and recipients, to providing education to interested potential donors, and to organising blood tests and carrying out pre-surgery preparation. As I said earlier on, this certainly is yet another part of this Government’s plan to increase kidney transplants in New Zealand.

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