The National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) in the Philippines is actively working towards addressing the significant shortage of organ donors in the country. To tackle this issue, the NKTI is engaging in consultations with Congress and the Department of Health (DoH) to consider potential amendments to Republic Act 7170 (RA), also known as the “Organ Donation Act,” and other related policies.
During a weekly news forum in Quezon City, Peter Paul Plegaria, the chief transplant coordinator at NKTI, emphasized the importance of becoming a living organ donor. He highlighted that organ sales are strictly prohibited in the Philippines, making organ donation a truly altruistic act. Plegaria mentioned that ongoing communication with Congress and the DoH is taking place to discuss the amendment of RA 7170 and the DoH Administrative Order.
RA 7170 currently only allows for the donation of all or a part of a human body after death for specified purposes. Plegaria encouraged Filipinos to consider organ donation, particularly deceased organ donation, to help alleviate the shortage of donors and improve the quality of life for patients suffering from renal ailments and other diseases.
According to Plegaria, living relatives of patients up to the fourth degree of consanguinity are qualified to donate their organs. To promote organ donation, the NKTI is collaborating with trauma hospitals and healthcare facilities to implement the Deceased Organ Donation Program. However, since the launch of the Organ Donor Card last year, only 367 potential donors have registered so far.
The statistics regarding chronic kidney failure in the Philippines are alarming. Plegaria highlighted that one Filipino develops chronic kidney failure every hour, equating to approximately 120 Filipinos per million population annually. Chronic kidney disease is one of the leading causes of illness and death in the country, affecting around 2.3 million Filipinos.
Currently, there are 38 transplant centers in the Philippines, with 10 government hospitals and 27 private hospitals performing transplantations. Plegaria emphasized the need to capacitate DoH-run hospitals nationwide to become kidney transplant centers. He highlighted regions such as Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as areas that lack transplant centers.
Additionally, Maria Angeles Marbella, the head of the NKTI Public Health Unit, reported a significant increase in the number of hemodialysis patients. From 2023 to 2024, there was an increase of 8,000 patients, surpassing the estimated 2,000 to 3,000 reported in previous years. Marbella explained that this rise represents a roughly 15-percent incidence of new cases of chronic kidney disease requiring renal replacement therapy, including hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and eventually, kidney transplantation.
In conclusion, the NKTI is actively working towards addressing the shortage of organ donors in the Philippines. Through consultations with Congress and the DoH, potential amendments to RA 7170 and related policies are being considered. The NKTI encourages Filipinos to become organ donors, emphasizing the importance of deceased organ donation. By increasing awareness and promoting organ donation programs, the NKTI aims to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from renal ailments and other diseases.
Source: The Manila Times
