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A grieving family turned their loss into a gift of hope, consenting to donate their loved one’s corneas at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB), Ipoh, recently.
The hospital shared on Facebook that a 28-year-old male patient recently died while receiving treatment at the hospital. Despite their grief, the family agreed to donate the corneas from both of his eyes to give others the gift of sight.
The hospital said the corneal tissue was collected on 18 September, in a procedure carried out by a six-member team of doctors and nurses from its ophthalmology department. The process took about two hours.
The entire collection process was coordinated by the hospital’s organ collection unit (UPOH) and assisted by the Department of Neurosurgery, Department of Pathology and Department of Forensic Medicine.
The hospital building was then lit up in green, a symbolic gesture associated with organ donation and hope. The hospital extended their deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and thanked them for their selfless decision to help others despite their pain of losing a loved one.
Organ donation rate in Malaysia is still low
Malaysia’s organ donor pledge rate remains extremely low, at under 1% of the population, far below the 20% global benchmark for a functional organ donation system.
A primary reason for the low organ donor pledge rate is family refusal out of religious beliefs.
Malaysia continues to rely on a voluntary “opt-in” model for organ donation, one that requires individuals to actively register and still depends on family consent. As a result, nearly 90% of potential deceased donations in the country do not go ahead, as families decline to give consent.
Another challenge is that some people view organ donation as a form of mutilating the deceased, a belief rooted in certain cultural or religious views. In June 1970, the National Fatwa Council ruled that organ donation and transplantation are permissible in Islam.
In an effort to improve organ donation rates, authorities are exploring a shift away from Malaysia’s current “opt-in” framework toward an “opt-out” model, under which organ retrieval after death would proceed by default unless the deceased’s family objects.
To make registration easier, there are also proposals to display organ donor status on driving licenses or MyKad.
Deputy Director-General of Health (Medical) Datuk Dr Azman Yacob said the ministry will keep working to boost the number of actual organ donors, including setting up the National Transplant Council, which will coordinate the country’s donation and transplantation agenda, and by engaging religious institutions to clarify that organ donation does not go against religious teachings.
How to register as an organ donor?
To register as an organ donor, you can do so through the MySejahtera app or the official Derma Organ portal.
In MySejahtera app, select the “See All” dropdown menu and select “Organ Donor Pledge” to begin registration.
If you register through the Derma Organ portal, you’ll receive an official physical pledge card by mail.
READ MORE: One Life Ended, Five Began: Hospital Sungai Buloh Honours Organ Donor Hajjah Normah
READ MORE: When Families Say No: Why Malaysia’s Organ Donation Crisis Goes Deeper Than Willingness
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