KUALA LUMPUR: The cadaveric donation rate in Malaysia is 0.97 to every one million of the population, said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican.

"At this rate, in addition to the increase of patients with chronic diseases, the waiting period for donated organs has become too long."

"Furthermore, Malaysia is far behind in its organ donation rate at 0.97 as compared to developed countries such as Spain which has a rate of 34.3 donors per one million citizens and Singapore with 5.9," he added.

"What's more saddening is, there are patients who could not be saved as they had succumbed to their diseases while on the waiting list," he said after opening the new National Transplant Resource Centre office in Wisma Sejarah at Jalan Tun Razak yesterday.

Dr Ismail said the ministry was taking steps to improve on the matter.

The centre will have 15 full-time ministry officers to help manage the service.

Previously, the centre operated at the main lobby of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital with only one officer in charge.

The centre was launched in 1997 to spread correct information and increase awareness on organ donation and transplantation in Malaysia.