New Zealand has one of the lowest organ donor rates in the
Western world.
How low?
Well in 2005 just 29 people became donors after they had
died.
The biggest ethnic group in need of new organs in New
Zealand ironically forms the lowest ethnic grouping of donors.
N.Z Maori.
It is therefore rather ironic a trans-gender ex Maori MP,
Georgina Beyer, is leading the charge for more Kiwis to become live organ
donors.
The motivation is Beyer herself (?) is in need of a new
kidney.
Rather than target the entire population Beyer should have
started her quest to increase organ donation amongst her own people; many of
whom reject the concept on spiritual grounds.
In 2006 The Maori Party voted against Jackie Blue's
ultimately failed Human Tissue (Organ Donation) Amendment Bill because they
"don't believe in organ donation" knowing fully well Maori formed a
large percentage of people waiting for organ donation, some of their own whanau
would die as a result of their belligerence.
The easy solution to solving a lack of live organs is to incentivise
the system.
If you are registered donor, like me, you go to the top of
the heap.
Those who fail to register or have no one in their inner
circle (so not to penalise children) on the registered-list go on the waiting list.
It is therefore hard to feel sorry for Maori as a whole when
it comes to organ-donation given their
cultural rejection of the medical procedure.
