Statement
Statement from the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health – National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week
April 26, 2024 | Ottawa, ON | Health Canada
It’s National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week. There is a critical need to increase the number of donors across the country. Every year, many people in Canada receive life-saving organ transplants. Lives are at stake.
According to 2022 data, more than 3,777 people in Canada are still waiting for a life-saving transplant, and many more are waiting for tissue transplants. Despite significant progress, there is still an urgent need in Canada to increase the number of donors, as our country is still not able to meet the needs of all patients awaiting organ donation. or fabric.
The Government of Canada is working with provinces and territories, Canadian Blood Services (CBS), patients, families, clinicians and researchers to improve the organ donation and transplant system. These efforts include supporting CBS with an annual investment of $3.58 million to increase public and professional engagement in organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The SCS aims to reach new and underrepresented audiences through the creation of new resources in the Getting Started 2024 platform. The SCS also creates resources for children, youth, students and teachers, while leveraging partnerships with programs like Les Orgamites.
Health Canada’s investments also extend to the Organ Donation and Transplantation Collaborative to address key issues and barriers in this area. We support projects like the Pan-Canadian Organ Donation and Transplantation (DOT) Data and Performance Measurement System Project, as well as initiatives like the System Gap Analysis and High-Performance Models Project for living donor kidney transplantation (Living Donor Kidney Transplantation – System Gap Analysis and High Performing Models). These efforts aim to improve living donor kidney transplant programs across provinces and territories to improve patient care and health outcomes.
More recently, on April 12, 2024, the Conference of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Deputy Ministers of Health (FPT) approved the creation of a pan-Canadian governance framework related to the organ donation and transplantation (ODT) system. . The OGD sector will thus have an organized governance structure composed of the federal government, provinces and territories, stakeholders and patients who will work together to improve organ and tissue donation services across the country.
We know that organ donation is a highly personal decision. If you wish to donate your organs, it is important to discuss this decision with your family and loved ones to make your wishes known.
This week, we encourage you to think about the decision to become an organ or tissue donor and transform the life of someone in need. Donating an organ means saving a life. Register as an organ donor today.
The Honorable Mark Holland, PC, MP
The Honorable Ya’ara Saks, PC, MP
Contacts
Christopher Aoun
Press officer
Office of the Honorable Mark Holland
Health Minister
613-291-4176
Yuval Daniel
Press Officer
Office of the Honorable Ya’ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
819-360-6927
Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
[email protected]
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