KUALA LUMPUR: Kiwanis Malaysia District has launched its "Gift of Life" Organ Donation Programme with a target to drive up donor pledges to 600,000 by Sept next year.
Kiwanis Governor, Rosemary Tan said Kiwanis' collaborative efforts with partners Pharma and Entrepreneurs' Organisation, complemented by the support of the National Transplant Resource Centre under the Health Ministry, will be the driving force behind this endeavour.
"The initiative stems from a shared commitment to be a force for good, instilling love, courage, integrity, and creativity in serving communities and fostering impactful service projects for Malaysia.
"Currently, Malaysia is 66th in the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation latest rankings, among the 10 lowest in the world, with a ratio of 0.7 donors per million population. Since 1997, 372,020 compassionate individuals have pledged to be donors.
"However, the stark reality remains that there are 10,515 patients in dire need of transplants, comprising 10,262 adults and 225 children in need of kidney transplants, six paediatric patients waiting for liver transplant and 16 others needing hearts," she said in a statement.
To drive the success of the "Gift Of Life" initiative, Tan said a "Train the Trainers" programme- a programme that awards certificates to volunteer leaders, designating them as esteemed "Ambassadors or Angels"- would be implemented.
For more information on organ donation, visit www.dermaorgan.gov.my and www.kiwanis.org.my.