Gauteng Health Department encourages organ donations

The Gauteng Department of Health has stressed the importance of saving and urged South Africans to register as organ donors

Sep 11, 2022 - 14:50
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Gauteng Health Department encourages organ donations

The Gauteng Department of Health has expressed its gratitude to those who donated their organs and tissue in August. According to the department, 18 patients were successfully transplanted at different transplant centres, including the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH).

“The GDoH also wishes to thank their families for making sure that their last wishes were honoured. Of the 18 patients who transplanted from five
cadaver donations, 10 received kidneys, five received livers, three received hearts and one received lung transplant,” said spokesperson Motalatale Modiba in a statement on Sunday, 11 September 2022.

He adds that out of the five cadaver donors, two further donated tissue. One donated corneas, bone and skin, whilst the other donated bone and skin.

SOUTH AFRICANS URGED TO DONATE ORGANS

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital’s Professor Thifhelimbilu Luvhengo conveyed a message of gratitude to all families of deceased and
living related donors who have donated organs.

Luvhengo has further encouraged South Africans to donate organs.

“Organ and tissue transplantation is the most effective way to treat irreversible organ and tissue failure. Those who consent to donate have and
continue to save many lives. We would like to encourage all South Africans to register as organ donors. We would also like to encourage families of deceased to consider organ donation,”

Professor Thifhelimbilu Luvhengo

One Joburg who had received a kidney, expressed his appreciation to the family of the cadaver donor as he had been on dialysis for seven years.

“I was very fortunate to receive a donor and I will forever be grateful to the family that saved my life. It is now my life’s mission to create awareness on organ and tissue donation as it can save many lives and end the suffering that many people on the transplant waiting list have to endure,” he said.

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