Would poor lose out on transplants?

20 Jan 2004, The Straits Times

Question

Name of the Person: Ng Peng Chew

Would poor lose out on transplants?

I am all for the Human Organ Transplant Act (Hota) as long as it saves lives.

However, will it exclude the poor just because they cannot afford the cost of a transplant?

People can bequeath their organs upon death but does the person on the waiting list who is a good match always get to have the transplant, under all circumstances?

Take a hypothetical example.andnbsp; Jeffrey suffers from last-stage kidney failure and his life can only be saved if he undergoes a transplant.andnbsp; A man dies in an accident and his kidney is available.

However, the cost of a transplant is beyond Jeffrey's means.andnbsp; The doctor cannot wait because the kidney will deteriorate if it is not transplanted within a certain time.andnbsp; Would Jeffrey lose the kidney to the next person on the waiting list, who is able to foot the bill?

To save lives or not is solely a personal decision on the part of a donor.andnbsp; Hence if a donor gives up his organs upon his death, that's because he wanted to save lives, lives of people whom he will never know.

Thus if a patient is denied a transplant because he is unable to foot the bill for the operation, we are diminishing the effort to save lives.

Reply

Name of the Person: Karen Tan (Ms)

Deputy Director, Corporate Communications

Ministry of Health

Financial assistance available for organ transplants

On whether the poor would lose out on organ transplants (ST, Jan 20), the Ministry would like to assure Mr Ng Peng Chew and Singaporeans that they will not be excluded from the transplant waiting list because they are unable to pay for the transplant. The priority for receiving an organ transplant is also not affected by their socioeconomic status.

There are various financial assistance schemes available for patients who require organ transplants.

For transplants involving kidney, heart, liver and cornea, patients in restructured hospitals who meet the subsidy criteria for transplants would receive a subsidy of 65% if they are warded in B2 class or below.

Organ transplantation is also covered under Medisave, Medishield and Medifund. Patients can use Medisave to pay for organ transplantation, while needy Singaporeans can obtain financial assistance through Medifund