A KIDNEY specialist is hoping that organ donation in the Philippines would be mandatory to address the lack of donors.
Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) Nephrology Section chairman Dr. Franklin Guillano said he was saddened the Senate Bill 2096 or the Organ Donor Act of 2019 filed by Senator Richard Gordon failed to pass the 17th Congress.
Under the bill, it will have an “opt-out” donation system wherein everyone will be considered an organ donor unless they specifically object to being one.
Kidney donation has two types of systems. With an opt-in system, people have to actively sign up to register to donate their organs after death, while in opt-out systems, organ donation will occur automatically unless a specific request is made before death for organs not to be taken.
Guillano admitted the opt-out system is not generating much favorable feedbacks in the country, unlike in Germany and Canada.
“The reason why we are pushing this is to address the inadequacy of organs. Para matulungan yung mga tao na may sakit, na need palitan ang organs (So that we could help those people who are sick and need to have their organs replaced) like kidney, heart, puso, at liver,” he said.
Guillano added in SPMC, there are almost 500 patients undergoing dialysis. He said 70 percent of the patients are candidates for transplant. However, he said there is scarcity of donors.
SPMC organ procurement specialist Dr. Maria Theresa Bad-ang said there is a need for a kidney transplant for some patients since dialysis serves as a “bridge” do and not improve the quality of life of the patient. (RGL)