On World Organ Donation Day, Thursday 13th August, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, Ian Borg encouraged more people to register their willingness to become organ donors after death, noting that a single donor can help save up to eight lives.
During a meeting with transplant recipients, registered organ donors and families of organ donors, Dr Borg discussed the difficulties and anxieties faced by patients who may spend a long time waiting for a transplant. For some, the wait is too long. In 2024, 8,591 patients across Europe died while awaiting an organ transplant, underscoring the pressing need for more registered donors.
Relatives of organ donors spoke about the support and care they received from hospital staff after learning that the organs of their deceased loved ones could be donated to help others. They also recounted the sense of connection and pride they experienced upon receiving anonymous letters of gratitude from the transplant recipients whose lives were saved by these donations.
"By registering as organ donors today, we are saving lives in the future - perhaps the greatest legacy we can leave behind," Deputy Prime Minister Borg said, as he expressed his admiration for registered donors, deceased multi-organ donors, as well as living donors who donate a kidney or part of their liver to patients in need of a transplant.
He also thanked all those involved in raising awareness about the importance of organ donation, including staff at Mater Dei Hospital's Renal Unit, members of the Transplant Support Group, and officials from the Superintendence of Public Health, among others.
Dr Borg encouraged families across Malta and Gozo not to shy away from discussing the decision to become donors and give others the gift of life. The recent introduction of secure online registration through organdonation.gov.mt has made the process even easier, allowing people to register in just a few minutes using their e-ID.
At the end of the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister, who had previously joined the former voluntary organ donor card scheme, submitted his registration to become an officially registered organ donor under current legislation.
Established in 2016, Malta's National Human Organ and Tissue Donation Register currently includes 30,548 registered organ donors. Over the past two and a half years, more than 2,410 persons joined the register, following several awareness initiatives by the health authorities, the Transplant Support Group and other organisations.
Managed by the Superintendence of Public Health, the Register is the official legal record of an individual's wishes regarding organ donation. It is intended to uphold personal autonomy, provide clarity to healthcare professionals, and facilitate the safe and ethical donation of organs and tissues for transplantation purposes. The Register replaced the former Organ Donation Card scheme, which did not have legal status.
On Thursday and Friday, 13th and 14th August, between 0900hrs and 1230hrs, the public is invited to meet members of the Transplant Support Group at the main reception area of Mater Dei Hospital, to learn more about organ donation and register to become organ donors.
For more information visit organdonation.gov.mt.