A new Centralised Organ Donation Register is an easy way for people to voluntarily register their decision to be an organ donor, Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said at the registry's launching ceremony yesterday.

The ultimate goal of the registry, he said, is for society to regard voluntary organ donation as the norm rather than the exception.

To encourage public support of the registry, top officials, including the chief executive, chief secretary, financial secretary, secretary for justice and Chow have taken the lead in signing organ-donation cards.

The central registry allows health authorities to identify prospective organ donors accurately, even if the donors do not bring along their organ-donation cards.

People who want to donate their organs after death can register by filling out an organ-donation registration form.

Hospital Authority Chairman Anthony Wu, who also attended the ceremony, said the central registry will make it more convenient for prospective donors to register their wish voluntarily.

"Transplant coordinators can swiftly make arrangements for organ donations so more patients can benefit," he said.

Organ-donation cards and registration forms can be obtained at public and private hospitals, Health Centres at the Department of Health and Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Donation Centres.

A study conducted by the Department of Health in 2007 indicated that 70 percent of respondents were willing to donate their organs after death, compared with 28.5 percent in 1992 and 36.8 percent in 1994.

Additionally, during his speech, Chow said the government won't reduce healthcare resources next year, and he ensured staff at the Hospital Authority and other health organizations under government subvention that they don't have to worry about losing their jobs.

He noted that the departments under the Food and Health Bureau are working to increase jobs related to healthcare and environmental hygiene, such as janitors.

(HK Edition 11/25/2008 page1)