A noble legacy

The Philippines recently entered the Guinness world record for having the most number of organ donor pledges in one hour, in one place. The record beat the previous record held by India. The Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PhilNOS) and the DOH launched an organ donor sign-up last Friday. It drew thousands of pledges which were collected from different areas in the country, especially after it was explained that the organs pledged would not be harvested until they passed away. The country does not really have a good database of organ donors, unlike most countries all over the world. The program was meant to change that, especially in a country with deep roots in old-wives tales, tradition and even superstition. These have been the most common obstacles regarding organ donation.

Other countries have an extensive database for organ donors. Names are all on computer, which can be easily accessed by hospitals or even funeral parlors when needed. When an organ becomes available, it is quickly sent to the possible candidate for transplant. Donors also have cards that indicate that in the event of their death, their organs are available for donation. From kidneys, corneas, bone marrow, liver to lungs and even hearts. Life as they say, must be passed on, shared. Nothing is more noble a legacy than that. This is what PhilNOS and the DOH want to finally achieve in the country.

We have already discussed how many Filipinos are in need of kidney transplants. Those who at present owe their existence to a dialysis machine that filters their blood three to four hours per session, two to three times per week. According to the DOH, one Filipino dies of kidney related problems every hour, making it the ninth most common cause of death. Around ten thousand are in need of a kidney transplant every year. Since a person only needs one kidney to survive, two patients can benefit from one donor.

We may have beaten India with the hourly record, but we did not beat them with an overall number of pledges. It is good that the program has gotten off to a good start. I hope the database for donors becomes readily available soon. But it would be better if these pledges actually become donors to successful recipients. It is one thing to sign up, it is another to actually go through it. It should also be noted that not only should PhilNOS or the DOH get pledges from potential donors, but from their families as well. The actual donors may be amenable to having their organs shared, the families they leave behind may not. Again because of traditions, superstitions, and the like.