Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan today encouraged people to sign up for organ donation to help more patients to live on through organ transplants.

Prof Chan made the plea during a ceremony held by the Food & Health Bureau, Department of Health and Radio Television Hong Kong to celebrate Organ Donation Day 2019 and the 50th anniversary of the first kidney transplant in Hong Kong.

Speaking at the ceremony, the health chief said the Government has been making continuous efforts to promote organ donation.

She noted that following the establishment of the Committee on Promotion of Organ Donation in 2016, the number of registrations recorded in the Centralised Organ Donation Register has increased from less than 200,000 to more than 310,000 in three years.
      
Prof Chan said more than 2,000 patients are waiting for organ transplants in Hong Kong every day, but due to the limited supply of transplantable organs from donation, many of them may pass away before the right organ match comes.

She encouraged people to put words into actions by signing up for organ donation on the register and telling family members about their wishes.