In an initiative for creating a better equipped national system to deal with organ transplants, Transplant Manitoba and Canadian Blood Services are seeking public contribution in Winnipeg. This initiative came up as Canada is the only country that despite of being developed is without national co-coordinating system for transplantation and organ and tissue donation.

Dr. Peter Nickerson, a kidney Specialist and Medical Director of the Transplant Manitoba Gift of Life Program and Executive Medical Director for Transplantation with Canadian Blood Services (CBS) said, “Current system, with transplant programs administered provincially like health care, is at capacity and struggling to handle current needs and projected demand. The cross-country public forums Winnipeg’s half-day event is scheduled for Friday at the Winnipeg Convention Centre at 8:30 a. m. and the forums are a part of a strategy by which CBS is developing a recommendation for a new national system”.

Operating on a nationally united system, CBS was given the permission in 2008 by Federal, Provincial and Territorial ministers of health. They permitted CBS to confer with various stakeholders, the public and medical community on creating a new system.

Urging the public to contribute, Nickerson said, “Most importantly, we want to engage the public and get their ideas and perspectives as to what they think we should be doing. We need more people to say yes when their loved ones reach that critical point when they could be an organ donor.”