Religious officials, district governors to urge public for organ donation

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

Eleven year-old Tuba Alan was one of the thousands of patients waiting for an organ after she received a kidney transplant from a donor's body last month. AA photo

The presence of around 24,000 patients waiting for organ donations in Turkey has triggered the Health Ministry to launch a campaign to raise public awareness about organ donation, involving religious officials and district governors to help educate people.

The Health Ministry aims to clear religious worries and tell people what brain death exactly means with the project as the two topics are the biggest obstacles that prevent people from making donations. 
Religious officials and district governors will become bridges to encourage people to reconsider organ donation after receiving an education on the subject as a part of the project. 

The Health Ministry will hold meetings across Turkey in cooperation with the Interior Ministry and Directorate of Religious Affairs to educate religious officials and governors as a first step. The first meeting will be held in Ankara next week with the attendance of Heath Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, bringing 250 religious officials and 150 district governors together.

The meeting will highlight the situation of patients who are waiting for donations and seek to answer the question, “Would I wish for someone to donate their organ if I needed it tomorrow?”

The ministry will send letters to teachers and related organizations, as well as the officials who cannot attend the meetings, to ask their help on the subject.

Last year around 2,000 patients lost their lives while they were waiting for organ donations in Turkey, the report said.