Mandatory referrals, specialists, credited for spike in organ donations
OTTAWA — Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Nova Scotia are being credited with spurring a national increase in organ donations, says a report released Friday.
And health officials say there’s a link between what those provinces are doing and what’s been happening in countries like Spain, which leads the world in donation rates; having people in place and dedicated to ensuring that grieving families are made aware of the importance of life-saving transplants.
The report from Canadian Blood Services, which spans the last 10 years, shows overall donations rose by 23 per cent between 2006 and last year and donations from Canadians who’ve died rose by 29 per cent. Most of the increase was seen over the last three years.
Health officials credit the recent jump in organ donations to a focus in some provinces on mandatory referrals for transplants, as well as programs that teach hospital staff and patients about the benefits of what are known as living donations.