Malaysia records 102 deceased organ donors so far in 2026, but 12,575 still await transplants, says MOH

KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 19 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 102 deceased organ donors from January to August this year.

Deputy Director-General of Health (Medical) Datuk Dr Azman Yacob said this is an increase from the 89 deceased organ donors in 2025, equivalent to roughly 1.3 donors per million population.

He said both figures showed that public awareness of the importance of organ donation had taken root, but was still far from satisfactory, with 12,575 patients still on the waiting list for new organs as of July this year.

“Compared to international statistics, countries such as the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Spain and others have higher organ acceptance rates, reaching 20 to 30 per cent per million population,” he told reporters after officiating the launch of National Organ Donation Awareness Week (MKPO) 2026 here today.

Speaking on this year’s theme, “Warisku, Hormati Ikrarku” (My Heirs, Honour My Pledge), he said MKPO carries the message that a person’s wish to donate organs after death is a humanitarian pledge that deserves to be honoured and affirmed through their family’s support and understanding. 

Dr Azman said many families are unaware of their loved one’s wish to donate, which is among the reasons deceased organ donation numbers remain low, and why more lives are not being saved.

He noted that although some 450,000 individuals are registered as organ donors, the number of actual donations remains low, since families have the final say on whether donation proceeds after death.

“When the time comes, when a donor falls ill due to an accident, brain death or other causes, they can no longer make the decision. So awareness among family members is crucial to honouring the donor’s wishes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Azman said Terengganu was chosen to host this year’s MKPO in light of encouraging progress in organ and tissue donation across the East Coast states, reflecting growing public awareness. 

He said Terengganu recorded seven organ or tissue donation procedures this year, while Pahang and Kelantan each recorded one, their first in a long time.

Meanwhile, Dr Azman said the Health Ministry will continue to work on increasing the number of actual organ donors through various measures.

This includes setting up the National Transplant Council as a strategic platform to drive better coordination of the country’s organ donation and transplantation agenda.

He added that MOH will also step up engagement with institutions across all religions, helping the public better understand organ donation, including the fact that it does not contradict religious requirements.

“Sustained explanation of the legal and religious aspects is crucial, as confusion over these matters can be a factor deterring people from coming forward as organ donors,” he said. — Bernama