Fake news circulating widely via social media platforms regarding the change in England's organ donation law, has seen a spike in people opting out of the organ donation register, in sheer panic and fear. The message mostly shared among the Asian community via whatsapp, reads as “A reminder to all, residents in the UK are now automatically on the organ donation register. If you don't opt out, your organs and tissue will be the property of the UK government after death...”
Andrea Ttofa, who is the Head of organ donation marketing at NHS Blood and Transplant said, “While it is absolutely an individual’s choice whether or not they want to register as an organ donor or opt out, we want to ensure that people are making the right decision for them and their family based on facts rather than misinformation or scaremongering.”
The NHS organ donation laws are indeed changing, but from spring 2020, all adults in England will be considered to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or are in one of the excluded groups ie people under the age of 18, those who lack mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action, visitors to England, or those not living here voluntarily and people who have lived in England for less than 12 months before their death.
Every day, around three people die in need of an organ, because not enough organs are available for transplant. However, only 1% of people die in circumstances that would allow them to donate. The law is being changed to help save and improve more lives. There is a severe shortage of organ donors in the UK. Over 400 people died in 2017/18 while waiting for an organ transplant. There has been an overall increase in the number of organ donors over the last few years but the shortage continues among the ethnic community. Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups have to wait much longer for an organ donor. In March 2018, there were 959 Asians waiting for an organ transplant in the UK and in 2017/18, there were 69 Asian living donors, 37 Asian donors after death i.e. a total of 106 donors.
A national group called the Jain and Hindu Organ Donation steering group (JHOD) has been set up with the help of Lord Jitesh Gadhia to support all Hindu and Jain groups in England to communicate accurate information about the change in law from their own religious perspective. It has started work on producing videos and leaflets which will be available for everyone to use.
JHOD Chair Kirit Modi, a pioneer of organ donation campaign, who has been a kidney transplant recipient and has been involved in promoting organ donation for many years told the Asian Voice, “I am delighted that we have established this national steering group consisting of volunteers who are committed to increasing organ donation in our communities. We are ready to support Hindu and Jain community groups, faith groups, professional groups, youth groups and others in explaining the change in law. We need everyone’s support to save more lives through organ donation.”
