Enhancing the Organ Donation Process Through Digital Innovation
In a significant move towards modernizing the healthcare sector, Morocco is intensifying efforts to digitalize the organ donation process. Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi announced that his ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, is developing a digital platform designed to register all organ donation declarations as soon as they are received from court presidents. This platform will incorporate a real-time updating system that ensures immediate notification of any changes or retractions, linking it to a secure central database.
During a written response to a parliamentary inquiry, Ouahbi emphasized that these initiatives will provide the Ministry of Health and relevant healthcare institutions with instant access to updated data. An automatic electronic notification system will be implemented for urgent cases, facilitating swift coordination between the judiciary and the health sector. The minister noted that the lack of a unified national database has been a major issue, complicating the real-time identification of donor statuses and hindering the prompt communication of donation retractions, all of which contribute to delays in the process.
Addressing Challenges and Implementing Solutions
In his response to parliament member Fadwa Mohsen Al-Hayani, Ouahbi indicated that the Ministry of Justice has been actively supporting the Ministry of Health in implementing the provisions of Law No. 16.98, which governs organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Efforts are being made to overcome practical challenges associated with the law's application. To this end, field visits have been scheduled to four primary courts that have recorded the highest number of organ donation declarations. These visits aim to assess the practical issues encountered and identify potential discrepancies in record-keeping and management practices.
Furthermore, these visits will allow officials to evaluate how organ donation requests are received and documented, as well as how cases are processed post-court orders, particularly regarding notifications and referrals to specialized healthcare institutions. The Minister also highlighted previous meetings focused on discussing the challenges related to accessing declarations for organ and tissue donation, particularly after brain death, as stipulated in Article 14 of Law No. 16.98, which is crucial for ensuring the quick response necessary to preserve the life and safety of the recipient.
In conclusion, the meetings revealed a pressing need for a digital organizational mechanism that guarantees the timely updating and exchange of information between judicial authorities and health authorities, enhancing efficiency while respecting the sensitivity and urgency inherent in this field. Ouahbi pointed out that a joint technical committee has been established, comprising representatives from the Directorate of Criminal Affairs and Pardon, as well as the Directorate of Modernization and Information Systems. This committee has taken steps to consolidate data on organ donation registrations by requesting statistics from courts across the country for the period between January 2013 and December 2023.
As reported by hespress.com.
