Rethink Strategy To Increase Organ Donation Rate

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From Ravinder Singh
I refer to a recent article, “Organ donations remain low, over 10,000 patients waiting for a chance at life”. Malaysia records around 200,000 deaths annually, and global trends suggest that about 1% of these would qualify as organ donors.
This means Malaysia has the potential for around 4,000 cadaveric kidney transplants per year, enough to clear the current 10,000-person waiting list within three years.
However, with 51,000 Malaysians currently on dialysis and projections indicating that this number will double to 106,000 by 2040, it is critical to increase the number of organ pledgers.
The current 398,000 pledges are far from sufficient; we need to aim for at least three million, or ideally six million, to create meaningful change.
What is especially concerning is the declining number of new pledges: 51,729 in 2022, dropping to 28,363 in 2023, and further down to just 15,304 in 2024.
The situation worsened in January 2025, with only 884 new pledges. This downward trend signals the need for a fresh approach — one that involves collaboration with the private sector and NGOs.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s first organ (kidney) transplant. This milestone presents an ideal opportunity to launch a nationwide initiative to reverse the declining trend and reach at least one million pledgers.
A new approach is necessary, perhaps, one that integrates organ donation pledges with solutions that address other national challenges, such as Malaysia’s low insurance penetration rate, currently at 41%.
A staggering 60% of Malaysians lack insurance, leaving many families financially vulnerable.
A pilot programme could be introduced where pledging organs is linked to ensuring basic funeral coverage, either through self-pay options or CSR sponsorships.
I urge the health ministry to be open to innovative strategies, as there is an urgent need to provide hope to the growing number of dialysis patients and their families.
A bold, collaborative effort launched in conjunction with this historic anniversary could be the key to saving thousands of lives. - FMT
Ravinder Singh is a reinsurance specialist and an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

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