Fatimah points at a section of a banner that illustrates the religious view on organ donation, during her stop at the blood donation drive in a department store outlet in Mile 4 in Kuching. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING (April 8): The topic of organ donation is one that many people are not aware of, said Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
She added that the things that they have heard about this subject are mostly misconceptions.
In this regard, she called upon the Sarawak Health Department to go all out in explaining to the public the importance of organ donation, with accurate data.
“This is definitely a legal way when it comes to organ donation. I have informed the Health Promotion Section of the Health Department Sarawak to also gather input from the religious bodies regarding organ donation, so that they (section) could explain to the public from the religion’s point of view.
“In some communities, it’s a taboo for any organ to be removed from a human body, even if it’s meant to be donated to someone who deserves it,” she said when asked to comment about the organ donation pledge.
The minister was met during a blood donation drive conducted by the Persatuan Pembangunan Insan Sarawak (PPIS), in collaboration with the blood bank of Sarawak General Hospital (SGH), at the Everrise Mile 4 branch here yesterday.
Adding on, she said with better knowledge and having accurate information, it would help the public understand organ donation and thus, they could make better-informed decisions especially in terms of pledging as a donor.
“After we die, in terms of the body condition, if any organ is taken out of the body, would it be regarded as mutilating the body? These are the questions that may arise with regard to organ donation.
“The society needs to know the details, in terms of the process and procedures that take place. I have been given the assurance that when it’s done, it actually does not leave any effect, contrary to what many may think.
“The whole process and procedures are things that we do not talk about every day; therefore, there is a need to be an information sharing-session for the public.
“We have to address the misconceptions about the process and procedures, and also in religious aspects, if there’s any contradiction or not,” she elaborated.
Fatimah then expressed hope that the number of people coming forward to pledge to become organ donors would increase.
In this respect, she said based on what the Health Department Sarawak’s Health Promotion Section had indicated, there was a positive development.
“There were several blood donation campaigns that I had attended that also incorporated organ donation pledge programmes. In a recent blood donation drive, there were seven people who pledged to become organ donors.
“We hope in the upcoming activities, the number of pledges would increase,” said Fatimah.
The national ‘fatwa’ (edict) on organ donation, which has existed since 1970, states that organ donation is permissible.
The fatwa also declares that Islam prohibits the sale and trafficking of organs and tissues, obtained through the killing of humans.
It is known that there is no restriction on organ donation after death in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism.
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