Kota Kinabalu: The late Selvaraju Shanmugam, 83, who died on June 21, became the oldest organ donor in Sabah when his family donated a pair of his corneas to help two patients get a new lease of life.
Sabah Health Department Director Datuk Dr Asits Sanna said the octogenarian, who died of heart complications, did not have the opportunity to register his pledge as an official organ donor but had expressed his desire to become a donor.
Dr Asits said the family saw to it that the late Selvaraju’s wish to donate the organ was fulfilled at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) here on the same day he died (note: June 21 was organ donation date).
“We offer our condolences and express our deepest appreciation to the family for the gift of (a new) life,” Dr Asits said in a statement, Saturday.
Dr Asits also informed that the oldest donor in Sabah was previously aged 80 years and two months in 2018, while the youngest organ donor was aged 1 year and 4 months in 2008.
“The number of cadaveric organ donors (after death) in Sabah as of October 2023 is 33 people.
“We are calling on the public to register as organ donor pledgers through the MySejahtera application and inform their immediate family members of their wish.”
