China records rise in voluntary organ donation

Beijing: Organ donations in China reached a record high last year, after sourcing organs from executed prisoners was banned, the media reported on Wednesday.

"Organ transplantation in China has made a successful transformation in the past year," said Huang Jiefu, former vice-minister of health. 

The number of organ donors in China reached 2,766 last year, and more than 10,000 surgeries were performed, outnumbering the total for 2013 and 2014, the China Daily cited Huang as saying.

China stopped the use of organs from executed prisoners for transplant surgeries on January 1, 2015, and voluntary donations from citizens have become the only source.

Statistics from the National Health and Family Planning Commission show organ donations have been increasing rapidly.

The rate for organ donation per million of population reached 1.2 in 2014, a 60-fold increase from the level of 2010, the commission said.

The rate was increased to 2.1 per million last year, Huang said.

In August, an international conference on organ transplantation will be held in Hong Kong, where a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Transplant Society will be held.

In addition, another international conference on organ donation will be held in Beijing in October.

Huang expects major progress in organ transplants and donations in China this year.