Comment on "System for organ donors test" (China Daily, Dec 17)

The computerized organ-allocation system for organ donors is crucial to saving lives. The system, without any interference, can evaluate and select patients that are in immediate need of organ transplants.

The previous hospital-based allocation of organs was not only inefficient, but also opaque enough to allow favoritism and corruption in organ transplants. Since organ donations can save lives, the organ transplant system should be free of non-medical considerations.

Moreover, I think the Ministry of Health, hospitals and doctors should make greater efforts to educate the public about the significance of donating organs. Many Chinese do not support organ donations because the traditional belief is to keep the body of the dead "complete". One can understand the cultural and emotional obstacles, especially why relatives of the dead are opposed to donating their organs. But we should give a serious thought to the need of patients whose lives depend on organ transplants.

As the China Daily report says, 300,000 to 500,000 people in China are waiting for kidney transplants. Many of them are quite young and could meet premature death. Organ donations can give them a chance to live. So, it is time we changed our traditional concept of maintaining the sanctity of a dead person's body and agreed to organ donations.

Linda Song, via e-mail

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(China Daily 12/23/2013 page11)