KUCHING: Public awareness on organ donation in Sarawak remains low, with many families still reluctant to give consent even when their loved ones had pledged to donate.
Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) director Dr. Ngian Hie Ung said this lack of understanding often prevents timely organ retrieval, which is crucial to save lives.
“Even when a person has pledged, we cannot proceed without the family’s agreement.
“The challenge is that time is very critical — once there are delays, the organs may no longer be viable,” she said when met by reporters after attending the Organ Donation Week Awareness Programme at SGH on Monday.
She added that the state’s donation record remains poor despite the pressing demand.
The last organ procurement before a long gap took place in 2015, while in 2024, there was only one tissue donor and one organ donor — the first in nine years.
“So far this year, we have not recorded any donations, although there was one potential case in Miri,” she said.
Dr. Ngian highlighted that kidneys are the most in-demand organs due to high rates of chronic kidney disease and diabetes.
“Currently, about 2,000 patients in Sarawak are on dialysis and waiting for a transplant.
“At the national level, more than 10,000 patients are on the waiting list — over 9,000 of them are in need of kidneys, including more than 400 children,” she added.
She explained that while living donations are restricted to close family members such as parents and siblings, deceased donations have far greater potential to save multiple lives.
“One person who donates after death could give both kidneys to two separate patients, in addition to other viable organs or tissues.
“That is why public acceptance and timely consent are so important,” she stressed.
Dr. Ngian urged more Sarawakians to consider organ donation and to discuss their wishes with their families to avoid disputes at the time of death.
