Five year high on number of ethnic minority patients receiving a lifesaving organ transplant - but there’s a significant drop in the number of donations
A new report published today by NHS Blood and Transplant shows a five year high on the number of patients of Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds receiving an organ transplant.
Latest figures from the Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation show that in 2023/24, 1,232 patients from ethnic minority backgrounds received lifesaving organ transplants – that’s over 100 more than the year before.
However, almost 80% of organs transplanted into those patients came from white donors, as number of people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities donating organs after death dipped by 19% and there was also a decrease of 8% in living organ donors. The majority of ethnic minority patients in need of a transplant are waiting for a kidney. Given that kidneys are matched by blood group and tissue type, there is a better chance of not only finding a suitable match from a donor of the same ethnicity, but better outcomes for the patient.
The need for more people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to join the donor registry
The report does highlight a rise in the proportion of opt-in registrations from ethnic minority groups on the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) over the past five years. In 2018/19, just over 7% of people who registered in support of organ donation and declared their ethnicity were from ethnic minorities, a figure that rose to just over 11% in 2023/24.
The increase in registrations is encouraging, but it is crucial for individuals from these communities to support their loved one’s decision to become an organ donor. Consent/authorisation rates amongst all ethnic groups has been on the decline since 2020, which is a significant concern. Overall support from families when approached about their loved one being a donor has fallen from 69% in 2020 to 61% last year, and deceased organ donations from ethnic minority groups are significantly lower than those from the white population.
The main reasons families from ethnic minority backgrounds gave for refusing consent/authorisation for organ donation is that they felt it was against their religious/cultural beliefs or they were unsure whether the patient would have agreed to donation.
Leela's decision
One man who knows how important knowing your loved one’s organ donation decision is, is 57-year-old Manoj Keshavji from Nottingham.
His wife Leela died from a brain haemorrhage in 2020 aged just 47, leaving behind him and their 3 children. She had previously expressed her decision to be a donor and Manoj supported that decision. He said;
“Leela would often talk to me and the children about organ donation and why it was so important. So, when her time came, we knew we had to honour her decision. She went on to save the lives of five people and that’s absolutely incredible.
“I received a letter from a lady who was gifted one of Leela’s organs and it was so emotional yet comforting to read. She told me about the difference the transplant made to her and her family. It was good for our children in helping them to manage the grief at losing their mother and to know that she made a difference in death as she did in life.”
Leela was a religious studies teacher at a secondary school for 13 years before setting up a restaurant business with Manoj. She was also a Hindu Brahmin priest and a community volunteer. During the covid pandemic, Leela set out to help others, creating and delivering more than 152,000 meals to NHS Staff and their families, key workers and homeless people as well as elderly and vulnerable residents with no access to any help.
The value of 'seva'
Manoj also said;
Leela with her children“Leela was a real giving person. As a Hindu, a teacher, a businesswoman and a female priest, she believed in the value of 'seva' – duty to mankind. She passionately believed that the best part of living was giving.
“There is a general stigma in Asian communities about organ donation for differing reasons. Leela overcame this by conducting her own research and getting a better understanding of the whole process, including speaking with experienced Hindu priests and reading online research. The common factor between most faiths is the lack of understanding and never having held a family discussion about this taboo subject.
“Leela and I had spoken several times with our children about our wishes and why we had chosen to become donors. But ultimately, that decision is made at the bedside by the family left behind, so it’s vitally important to have certainty of what that decision would be for that person. And it is only right that decision is honoured.”
Promoting organ donation
Waiting times for patients of all ethnicities has fallen significantly since 2007 and there are fewer people dying waiting for a transplant. However, as of March 31, 2024, there were 2,365 people from ethnic minority backgrounds still on the active waiting list, up from 2,237 in March 2023 – the majority waiting for a kidney.
There has been a huge amount of collaborative work between NHSBT and the National BAME Transplant Alliance (NBTA); working to empower Black, Asian and minority ethnic community groups to promote organ donation through their grassroot networks. The Community Grants Programme is well established and helps ethnic minority groups take a leadership role in promoting organ donation among targeted groups. As a result, these communities feel more confident in learning about organ donation and how to discuss the subject with their loved ones.
There is also a joint partnership webinar happening on 13 November to highlight the findings of the Annual Report on Ethnicity Differences in Organ Donation and Transplantation and allow members of a wide variety of ethnic minority groups to openly discuss the issue of organ donation and delve into what the statistics mean for their community.
Everyone who supports organ donation can confirm their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. It is a simple action which only takes two minutes; but can ultimately save lives.
To find out more, and confirm your support for organ donation, visit our website, call 0300 123 23 23 or use the NHS app.