Over 2,000 patients wait for organs despite 420,000 Hong Kong donors
Hong Kong's Health Bureau says more than 2,000 patients remain on organ transplant waiting lists despite donor registrations exceeding 420,000. The gap was highlighted at the launch of the Hong Kong Transplant and Dialysis Games, where officials urged more public support for donation.
More than 2,000 patients remain on the waiting list for organ transplants in Hong Kong, even as the number of people signing up as donors has surpassed 420,000, the Health Bureau has said.
The latest figures were announced at the launch ceremony of the Hong Kong Transplant and Dialysis Games, an event organised by the Hong Kong, China Transplant Sports Association to gather transplant recipients from Hong Kong, mainland China and abroad to compete in a range of sports.
Under Secretary for Health Cecilia Fan Yuen-man used the occasion to encourage the public to support the "Organ Donation 3S" campaign — Sign up, Speak out and Spread out — aimed at fostering a culture of donation. She highlighted the urgency of supporting organ donation, noting the ongoing gap between the number of donors and patients in need.
Running from October 16 to 19, the Games aim to honour donors and their families, and to celebrate transplant recipients’ resilience, with organisers hoping the event will inspire more people in Hong Kong to become organ donors.