Organ donations in Hamburg rose slightly in 2024, with 160 organs donated compared to 154 the previous year. Authorities are conducting awareness campaigns and advocating for an opt-out system to boost donor numbers. Despite the increase, a significant gap remains between need and supply.
According to figures from the Deutsche Stiftung Organtransplantation (DSO), 160 organs were donated in Hamburg in 2024. This represents an increase from 154 in 2023 and a significant rise from just 96 in 2022. However, the number remains below the 2020 peak of 171. These details come from the Hamburg Senate's response to a CDU deputy's inquiry dated September 30.
In Hamburg, 161 organ transplants took place in 2024, involving organs sourced nationwide and abroad. This is 22 more than in 2020 (139) and similar to 2023 (162). The liver was the most commonly transplanted organ with 62 cases, followed by kidneys (56), hearts (22), and lungs (19).
The responsible authority regularly runs public campaigns to raise awareness of the organ donor registry. «This includes ads on social media as well as distributing informational materials and postcards in restaurants, cultural institutions, libraries, and customer centers,» states the Senate response. Around Organ Donation Day, events are held at universities, supported by posters, flyers, and the issuance of donor cards.
The Senate emphasizes: «It is a significant concern to strengthen organ donation.» It advocates for an opt-out system at the federal level, where all adults are considered donors unless they object. North Rhine-Westphalia and seven other states launched a new initiative for this in late September. Still, as of early 2025, around 8,300 patients in Germany were waiting for a donor organ, per Eurotransplant.