Vol. 313 No. 11
asked the Minister for Health (a) the number of kidney machines operating in the Republic; (b) the number of kidney transplants in each of the last ten years; and (c) the number of Irish donors whose kidneys were used in transplants excluding transplants between relatives where the donor volunteered after the disease had been identified.
280.
asked the Minister for Health if, as part of the publicity campaign to encourage people to become kidney donors, the Government will arrange that driving licence and motor tax forms will include information and full data on how and why people should become kidney donors.
281.
asked the Minister for Health to request motor insurance companies and companies employing large numbers of employees to make information available on how and why people should become kidney donors.
282.
asked the Minister for Health if it is proposed to provide additional kidney machines and if he will make a comprehensive statement on the matter.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 to 282, inclusive, together.
At present there are 84 kidney machines in use in the State comprising 30 machines in hospitals and 54 home dialysis machines. These figures include 12 new machines brought into use within the past year. There are also 14 reserve machines which are used while other machines are being serviced. The provision of additional kidney machines is a matter for the hospital authorities operating the service in the first instance. Any applications received for grants for the purchase of additional machines will be sympathetically considered in my Department.
The number of kidney transplants in each of the last ten years was as follows:
|
Year |
Kidney Transplants |
|
1970 |
7 |
|
1971 |
11 |
|
1972 |
20 |
|
1973 |
18 |
|
1974 |
25 |
|
1975 |
19 |
|
1976 |
19 |
|
1977 |
22 |
|
1978 |
24 |
|
1979(to date) |
18 |
Since 1970 the number of Irish donors from whom kidneys were obtained for transplant excluding the category referred to by the Deputy, was 80; in these instances the donors were deceased.
With regard to the Deputy's suggestions in relation to publicity to encourage people to become kidney donors, I would draw attention to the nationwide publicity campaign recently inaugurated by the Irish Kidney Association in conjunction with the Health Education Bureau which I was invited to launch on 2 April 1979. On that occasion I appealed for wholehearted support for the campaign to inform the general public and I gladly avail of this opportunity to reiterate that appeal.
I will pass the Deputy's suggestion to the bureau for consideration.
