25 August 2003

Minister of Health's Answers to Questions from Wayne Mapp MP

Last Week, North Shore MP asked the Minister of Health some Parliamentary questions related to organ donation.

Here are the questions and her replies:

Question: What was the funding for the organ transplant co-ordinators for each of the past four years?
Portfolio: Health
Minister: Hon Annette King
Date Lodged:19/08/2003
Answer Text: Funding for the organ transplant donor co-ordination service over the last four years was:
99/00                   $219,941
00/01                   $228,074
01/02                   $231,013
02/03                   $231,01

Question: How much have outside sponsors contributed to public awareness and training courses for organ donation?
Portfolio: Health
Minister: Hon Annette King
Date Lodged:19/08/2003
Answer Text: Since the 1999/00 financial year outside sponsors have contributed $122,000 to public awareness and training courses for organ donation.  In addition, approximately $100,000 was donated in 1999/00 for a donor awareness week

Question: What percentage of  intensive care unit doctors actually attend organ donation training sessions?
Portfolio: Health
Minister: Hon Annette King
Date Lodged:19/08/2003
Answer Text: It is not possible to provide the percentage of intensive care unit doctors who have attended organ donation training sessions. However, since 2001 a total of 26 intensive care doctors have attended training sessions.  The doctors have come from Whangarei, Auckland, Middlemore, Northshore, Waikato, Tauranga, Rotorua, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Timaru, Christchurch and Dunedin Hospitals.

Question: How much has the Ministry of Health spent on organ donation public awareness for each of the past four years?
Portfolio: Health
Minister: Hon Annette King
Date Lodged:19/08/2003
Answer Text: No Ministry of Health money has been spent on organ donation public awareness in the past four financial years.

Question: How much has the Ministry of Health spent on intensive care unit staff training on organ donation for each of the past four years?

Portfolio: Health
Minister: Hon Annette King
Date Lodged:19/08/2003
Answer Text: The Ministry of Health has spent approximately $17,000 per year in each of the past four years on intensive care unit staff training on organ donation.  In 2000/01 the Ministry funded an additional $15,845
(excl GST) for two medical ADAPT workshops

Question: How many deaths are attributed to organs not being available for transplant in each of the past four years?
Portfolio: Health
Minister: Hon Annette King
Date Lodged:19/08/2003
Answer Text: It is not possible to identify lack of organ availability as being the sole cause of death because most patients waiting for transplants have significant co-morbidity.