Hong Kong records about 90,000 organ donation registrations

Hong Kong has recorded more than 88,000 registrations at the Centralized Organ Donation Register ( CODR) as of the end of October, 2011, according to the city's government news website here on Saturday. There are also about 300 organizations, including government departments, private companies and community groups, have indicated their support for organ donation. Hong Kong has seen a generally increasing trend in the rate of organ donation over the years, according to the data from the Hospital Authority (HA) of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government. The data showed that the number of heart and bone donations reached new heights in 2010. To increase public awareness of the importance of organ donation and pay tribute to the organ donors, the Department of Health (DH) of HKSAR, together with the HA, healthcare professional bodies and voluntary organizations, build up a "Garden of Life" at the Kowloon Park. Speaking at the ceremony marking the opening of the Garden as well as the third anniversary of the launching of the CODR on Saturday, PY Lam, director of the DH said a survey conducted by the DH earlier this year showed more people's willingness to support their families on organ donations. The survey telephone-interviewed some 2,000 people aged 18 to 64, and over 95 percent of respondents indicated that they would not object to organ harvesting if their deceased family member had previously expressed a willingness to donate organs. In addition, the DH launched a dedicated fan page "Organ Donation @ HK" in Facebook this August to strengthen organ donation promotion among the younger generation.