Spending review 'lights out' of organ donation day - ANSA.it

The Spending review, with the planned cuts in various fields, ‘turn off the lights’ on the National Day of the donation and transplantation of organs. Tomorrow, in fact, the date of the celebration of the thirteenth edition of the event, the volunteers of the Italian organ donors (Aido) and other organizations will enliven 1,020 Italian squares, from North to South, with stand and information for citizens and made exclusively through the proceeds of their ’5 for 1000 ‘, not being available this year, for the first time, the funds provided by the Ministry of Health.” Into The Law Spending review – says the president Aido Vincenzo Passarelli – unfortunately determined this year a massive cut in funding allocated annually to the Ministerial information campaigns on organ donation and transplantation and the National Day. A residual amount still available will be ‘still used by the Ministry for an information campaign on television networks, which should start after the summer.” Cuts that have not, however, ‘discouraged volunteers:” Tomorrow we will be equally in the streets, to raise awareness and collect statements of will’ to donation. The information materials – says Passarelli – we have them but ‘realized only thanks to the proceeds of the ’5 by 1000′ associations.” This is because ‘the message, which is fundamental, and’ be there, to spread even more ‘culture of organ donation also on the basis of the results achieved in recent years, and that bodes well. Italy, with 21.8 organ donors per million population, and ‘in fact the third among the major European countries by n umber of donors, after Spain (35.3) and France (25).

therefore essential to increase the declarations of will ‘in favor of donations, statements that the citizen can’ present, remember Passarelli,” AIDO, local health or, in some municipalities, at the time of renewal of the identity card ‘ ”.

” Organ donation – said the director of the National Transplant Center (NTC) Alessandro Nanni Costa – and ‘an act of social awareness and it must be said that the Italian network works.” Then a recognition to the new Minister of Health:” Although it has just settled – detects Costa – Minister Lorenzin is already ‘showing great attention to the theme of the donation and transplantation. We look short his visit and assured us – he concludes – its fullest support to the initiatives, operational, organizational and communication of the National Transplant Center.”