KOTA KINABALU: Families must respect the last wishes of their loved ones who have pledged and registered their organs to be donated, says Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) director Dr William Gotulis.
"It is important for the public to honour and respect an individual's decision to help another life," he said when officiating the Organ Donation Seminar 2025 at the hospital here.
The seminar was held in conjunction with this year’s Organ Donation Awareness Week, themed “Warisku, Hormati Ikrarku” (Honour My Pledge, My Next-of-kin).
"This theme carries a profound message, the hope of a pledged donor that their noble intention to help others will be honoured and fulfilled by their family after their passing," Dr Gotulis said.
Although organ donation is not new in Malaysia, he noted that it remains a complex and sensitive issue that requires deeper understanding from both healthcare workers and the public.
As of June 2025, Sabah has recorded 46 organ and tissue donors, of which 34 cases (74%) were conducted at HQE, far lower than the national total of 1,014 cases.
"Organ donation is not merely a medical issue, but one that touches on humanity, empathy, and trust.
“Behind every donation statistic lies a family’s story. From a loss, hope is born for those in need,” he said.
Dr Gotulis said Malaysia currently has 393,690 people who have pledged and registered as organ donors, with only 21,152 (5.37%) from Sabah.
He said Sabah faced many challenges, not only logistical and healthcare facility limitations, but also cultural and personal beliefs that affect the success of the organ donation programme.
However, he said Sabah Transplant Resource Centre (STRC), Hospital Organ Procurement Unit (UPOH), Organ and Tissue Procurement Team (TOP Team), and dedicated hospital staff have played their role in encouraging organ donation.
He said this helped HQE to be recognised as among the nation’s top-performing hospitals in organ donation in recent years.
State Transplant Coordinator Chief of STRC Low Lieh Yong said every individual who has registered or wishes to register as a pledged donor should inform their family.
“We never know when we will become an actual donor, but it is important for families to understand why we wish to donate,” he said.
Registration can now be done through the MySejahtera app.
