600 waiting for organ donations

MORE than 600 people are on waiting lists for organ transplant and the figure is set to rise, according to the HSE’s organ donation and transplant tzar.

Professor Jim Egan, clinical lead at the National Office for Organ Donation and Transplantation, said the bulk of these patients — about seven out of 10 — are in need of kidney transplants, followed by liver, lung and heart.

He said the demand for transplants would continue to rise for a number of reasons, including greater access to dialysis and greater demand for liver transplants.