By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

600 people waiting

Alberta opens organ and tissue registry to Northwest Territories

Jul 13, 2020 | 1:30 PM

Alberta is expanding its organ and tissue registry to residents of the Northwest Territories.

In a release, the Government of Alberta notes that due to low population density and medical availability in N.W.T., residents who die there cannot donate their organs and tissues.

Patients requiring critical care are often taken to Alberta, but were not previously included in the registry.

The new agreement allows consenting residents of N.W.T. to be considered for donation if they are in an Alberta hospital.

“This agreement will help shorten the organ and tissue waiting lists and improve the chances of a match for those in need,” says Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro. “By working together, our governments are expanding the pool of potential donors, improving health and saving lives. I continue to encourage all residents in Alberta to register their wish to become organ donors.”

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Adds Diane Thom, N.W.T. Minister of Health and Social Services: “Providing N.W.T. residents with the option to register their consent for organ and tissue donation is a long-standing commitment of our government that is now possible through this agreement with Alberta. I am pleased that this option is now available and I encourage residents to register.”

Under the agreement, Alberta’s health-care teams can now access the registry to see if a patient from the Northwest Territories provided their consent to donate, the release continues.

The Northwest Territories will cover any costs associated with changes and maintenance to the registry. Approximate costs associated with the agreement are $100,000 one time, an $40,000 annually for maintenance.

About 600 Albertans are currently awaiting a transplant, and as of July 6, more than 723,000 Albertans have registered their wish to be an organ or tissue donor.