Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI) Publishes Annual Report 2018

The HSE’s Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI) has today (Tuesday, 26^th March) published the annual report for 2018. Professor Jim Egan, Director of Organ Donation Transplant Ireland acknowledged  the enormous generosity of the 81 families who donated the organs of loved ones in 2018.  Their generosity allowed 234 life-saving transplant surgeries to take place.  He also acknowledged the kindness demonstrated by 40 individuals who donated living kidneys and radically changed the lives of their recipients.

While organ donation continues to be a rare event, of 30,000 deaths each year in Ireland, there is an average of 80 multi organ donations. In this regard Professor Egan also praised the continued efforts of staff in our Intensive Care Units (ICUs), Emergency Departments and Theatres across acute hospitals in Ireland who continue to work closely with donor families and our transplant services.

Currently there are approximately 600 people waiting for a life-saving transplant in Ireland. You are three times more likely to need a transplant than to be an organ donor.

Professor Jim Egan, reflecting on the year, said “We experienced a consistent rate of organ donation and transplant in 2018, which reflects positively on the generosity of Irish society and the professionalism of the intensive care, theatre, medical and nursing staff.  We are grateful for the support of An Post who elected to support organ donation with the launch of an organ donation stamp this month. Initiatives like this can only help to encourage the conversation in every home in Ireland and we hope it helps drive the number of donations in 2019 and beyond.   We will continue to champion organ donation and encourage all to speak to their loved ones, so they let their wishes be known in relation to organ donation, because organ donation saves lives”.

The 2018 Annual Report is available here.

Organ Donation and Transplant Ireland (ODTI) was established to provide governance, integration and leadership for Organ Donation and Transplantation in Ireland.  The Office is dedicated to saving and improving lives by improving organ donation rates in Ireland.  See www.hse.ie/organ-donation and follow @odti_irl on Twitter for more information.