On October 9 Kazakhstan will for the first time observe the Organ Donation Day. As of now, 3,953 Kazakhstanis need kidney, liver, lung and heart transplants, Kazinform reports.

According to the republican transplantation coordination centre, the demand for organ transplantation has grown around the world.

The European Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation has been observed since 1996. It is purposed to raise public awareness of the development of organ donation and transplantation. Kazakhstan for the first time decided to join this movement. Unfortunately, Kazakhstanis need organ transplants. Deceased organ donation remains a major problem in Kazakhstan, PR specialist of the republican transplantation coordination centre Zhanibek Uspanov told a briefing at the central communications service in Astana.

For the past 10 months, Kazakhstan recorded just four deceased organ donations that helped save 16 lives. There are 3,953 patients who need kidney, liver, lung, heart and heart-lung combination transplantations in Kazakhstan. 536 patients are on the transplant waiting list in Astana. Six of them are waiting for a liver transplant, 13 adults and one child need a lung transplant, deputy head of the Astana healthcare development department GUlnaz Dosmyrzayeva said.