Information campaign on organ donation

Information from the DAK on organ donation

07/20/2013

In Germany, about 12,000 people are waiting for a suitable donor organ. In order to shorten the often years-long waiting periods, more donors are needed. DAK-Gesundheit therefore launches an information campaign.

Information requirement for cash registers
The statutory health insurance DAK-health has launched a campaign on organ donation. In the coming weeks, 30,000 customers will be informed in talks, by letter, on the Internet and in the customer magazine about the topic. For the health insurance since last year is an information obligation for organ donation. For the approximately 12,000 people who wait in Germany, sometimes several years for a donor organ, many more donors are needed.

Organ donation saves lives
Hans-Werner Harmuth from the DAK Health in Ahrensburg, said: „Organ donation saves lives "and „We hope that our clients will take time to address this important issue. "The likelihood of even having to donate organs is greater than becoming an organ donor, with detailed background information to help customers be aware of or decide against an organ donor card.

Willingness to donate organs due to scandal
In the near future, a transplant surgeon will face trial in the Göttingen organ donation scandal. He is accused of attempted manslaughter in eleven cases, as well as bodily injury resulting in death in three other patients. The Göttingen doctor is said to have deliberately lied in eleven cases when reporting patient data to the central donor body of donor organs, Eurotransplant, in order to ensure that his patients move up the list of donor organs. After the organ donation scandal became public, the readiness for organ donation in Germany dropped rapidly. For example, last October by almost 50 percent. For the patients who are currently waiting, the situation is precarious. Because every day three people die while waiting for a donor organ.

Free information phone
DAK-Gesundheit also adds an organ donor card from the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) to the letter insured should receive. In addition, the German Foundation for Organ Transplantation (DSO) in cooperation with the BZgA offers a free information telephone. Experts from 9 am to 6 pm, Mondays to Fridays, answer very personal questions on the subject of organ donation and organ donor IDs on 0800 90 40 400. (Ad)

Also read about organ donation:
Organ donation scandal: indictment against Göttingen doctor
Organ donation scandal: call for more controls
AOK does not send any organ donation cards

Picture credits: Günther Richter