Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek will today announce the radical pilot program to offer living donors a six-week wage to reduce financial pressures during the recovery phase of the major surgery. Source: The Courier-Mail
- Living donors will be offered cash grants up to $3,600
- Donors must have a job and employers will distribute payments over six weeks
- Paid leave scheme will be offered for living donors offering kidneys and parts of their liver
AUSTRALIA will pay living organ donors a six-week wage of up to $3600 to donate a kidney in a bid to slash the waiting lists for surgery.
Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek will today announce the radical pilot program to offer living donors a six-week wage to reduce financial pressures during the recovery phase of the major surgery.
It is hoped the measure will improve the chances of the 1000 Australians on the waiting list for a new kidney, who are forced to rely on dialysis to survive.
In the majority of cases, it is a parent, sibling or relative who offers to donate one of their kidneys to save the life of a loved one, placing financial pressure on families.
Selling or buying organs remains illegal in Australia, prompting some people to travel overseas for life-saving transplants.
The new taxpayer-funded weekly payment of $606.40, based on the national minimum wage, will only be available to donors who have a job, with the money to be paid out by employers.
Donors could also secure the six-week donor wage for donating part of their liver.
"Living donors make an incredibly generous gift, and the Gillard Government believes this act of kindness should be recognised and supported," Ms Plibersek said.
"Because the procedure to transplant an organ is not without risk to the donor, we want to ensure they are assisted during the recovery period after surgery.
An average of 288 Australians make a living organ donation each year, almost all of whom are kidney donors. Last year, 606 people received a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.
Kidney Health Australia backed the radical solution.
"Despite having some of the highest success rates for organ transplantation in the world, Australia's rate of deceased organ donation will not be able to meet the transplantation demand," CEO Anne Wilson said.
The five-year survival rate for recipients of living kidney transplants is strong, at an estimated 94 per cent.
"The decision to donate a kidney can mean a significant amount of time away from work, which is often unpaid, for the work-up tests and for the recovery period.
"This can put extra strain on families. Kidney Health Australia supports innovative solutions to support these donors, such as providing the ability to access paid leave, as it can really help to ease to burden for those who already give so much."
Ms Plibersek said she hoped employers would get behind the project.
"As the salary will be based on the national minimum wage, we encourage employers to adopt leave policies for living organ donors and consider topping-up donor wages while donors are recovering," she said.
samantha.maiden@news.com.au
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