Support organ donation

A territory-wide campaign to promote organ donation has been launched by the medical authority.

The programme, Light Up Lives, Support Organ Donation, aims to encourage the public to sign up for organ donation after death, and to secure family support for the worthy cause.

Singer Miriam Yeung Chin-wah has been appointed Organ Donation Ambassador.

The campaign features poster displays at MTR and KCR stations, as well as mobile exhibitions around the territory later this year.

The Department of Health will conduct 'train-the-trainer' sessions to train young ambassadors to spread the message of organ donation among peers.

According to figures from the Hospital Authority, the cadaveric (organ from deceased person) donation rate in Hong Kong was 4.2 per million population in 2005 - way behind other developed countries, such as the United Kingdom (10.7), the United States (21.4) and Spain (35.1).

To find out more about organ donation, visit www.ha.org.hk/odhk or call the 24-hour health education hotline at 2833 0111.