(pressebox) Koblenz, 31.01.2011 – „Organ donation – an act against dignity or a life-saving action?“ Last Saturday, politicians and health industry representatives were guests at TV Mittelrhein to discuss this question. The entire panel agreed: the population’s awareness about organ donation must be increased. That is exactly what the initiative „(M)ein Klick fürs Leben“ (one click for life) wants to achieve.
Eighty percent of the population would be willing to donate their organs after their death, but only 17% possess an organ donor ID. The panel discussion that was held at TV Mittelrhein this past Saturday started off with this obvious discrepancy between theory and practice. Guests included Kathrin Anklam-Trapp, SPD delegate of the Landtag (legislative assembly) of Rheinland-Pfalz, Julia Klöckner, chair of the CDU Rheinland-Pfalz and top candidate of her party, Frank Gotthardt, chair of CompuGroup Medical AG, and Professor Günter Kirste, MD, board member of the Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplantation (DSO) (German Foundation for Organ Transplantation).
During the broadcast, it quickly became obvious that the population must be made more aware of the importance of organ donation: This important topic should be discussed much more frequently with people, for example during a doctor’s visit or while talking to their health insurer. For that reason, CompuGroup Medical has become involved with the initiative“(M)ein Klick fürs Leben“, building on the long-term collaboration of the DSO with politicians and healthcare partners in Rheinland-Pfalz. The DSO will also lend their expertise to this project.
CompuGroup Medical is a worldwide provider of medical information technology and their software is used by one out of two physicians in Germany. With the help of physicians, the population can be made even more aware about the topic of organ donation in the future. Current analysis shows that there is still plenty of room for improvement: compared to the prior year, the number of organ donors in Rheinland-Pfalz increased by almost 50% in 2010, from 59 donors to 86.
In closing remarks, Julia Klöckner, the initiative’s sponsor, made the following appeal: „Organ donations can save lives. Anybody can end up in a situation where they need a donated organ. For that reason, I call upon everyone to address the topic of organ donation during their lifetime.“
Information about organ donation and the initiative can be found at www.mein-klick-fuers-leben.de.