MANILA: The National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) is holding consultations with Congress and the Department of Health (DOH) regarding possible amendments to Republic Act (RA) 7170 or the Organ Donation Act and other related policies. In a weekly news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, NKTI chief transplant coordinator Peter Paul Plegaria said talks are underway to introduce possible amendments to the organ donation law and policies to increase the number of potential donors. Plegaria lamented the 'very small' number of donors in the country despite digitalization efforts to intensify the organ donation campaign. He also acknowledged that becoming a living donor is more of an 'altruistic act,' considering that the sale of organs is currently prohibited. 'Talaga pong pinagbabawal po ang pagbili or any monetary or gift po na ibibigay natin sa donor po (It's really prohibited to sell it or give any monetary gift to our donor),' Plegaria said. 'It's more of we abide (by) the law. 'Yung lang po kasi t alaga ang ina-allow ng law natin (that is what our law just allows). And we (have) ongoing communication with the Congress po and the DOH about the amendment of RA 7170, our DOH Administrative Order po.' Plegaria was referring to DOH administrative orders establishing policy guidelines for all organ donation and transplant activities in the country. NKTI Public Health Unit head Dr. Maria Angeles Marbella noted an increase of 8,000 hemodialysis patients from 2023, higher than the estimated 2,000 to 3,000 reported in the past years. Marbella said the latest figure is 'roughly a 15-percent incidence of new cases of chronic kidney disease (patients) needing renal replacement therapy.' 'Ito po 'yung mga nangangailangan ng (They are those who need to undergo) hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and eventually, kidney transplantation,' she said. More kidney transplant centers Citing the NKTI's latest estimates, Plegaria said one Filipino develops chronic kidney failure every hour or about 120 Filipinos per mill ion population every year. Plegaria said chronic kidney disease is one of the leading causes of illness and death in the Philippines, with latest reports showing that about 2.3 million Filipinos have the disease. He lamented the limited access to kidney transplant centers, amid the growing number of Filipinos with chronic kidney failure. To date, the country only has 38 transplant centers, 11 of which are government hospitals and the remaining 27 are private hospitals, Plegaria said. He said the NKTI is capacitating DOH-run hospitals nationwide to become kidney transplant centers. 'Mayroon pa rin po kasi tayong mga (We still have) regions po sa (in the) Philippines na wala pa pong (that have no) transplant centers,' he said, citing Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Organ donor card Plegaria said as part of efforts to step up the organ donation advocacy, an Organ Donor Card is being distributed to encourage more Filipinos to donate their healthy kidney. He said about 367 potential donors have so far registered since the NKTI started rolling out the Organ Donor Card last year. 'Napakababa pa po ng rate namin. So, tulungan niyo po kami na mas maparami pa po ang mag-register sa Organ Donor Card (The rate remains very low, so help us increase the number of those who will register for an Organ Donor Card),' he said. Source: Philippines News Agency Bangkok, The Excise Department is aggressively cracking down on illegal cigarettes throughout the country, with a fine of 46 million baht. They are going to stop them from the source. Ready to use technology to enhance suppression Dr. Nittaya Soreekul, Deputy Director-General of the Excise Department As a spokesman for the Excise Department, he said that the Center suppresses online products. Technology has been used in the operational process according to the EASE Excise strategy to enhance the suppression of illegally imported goods. without paying taxes Using an x-ray machine to help with inspection at the post office. Private distribution center To inspect goods transport vehicles coming from risky areas and to cut off the delivery route from the beginning in various risky areas such as the northern region in Nakhon Sawan province. Southern region at Songkhla province and Chumphon Province and the eastern region in Chonburi province and Prachinburi Province Including going to the area to inspect and cra ck down on violators of the excise law. according to the target areas in Bangkok, metropolitan areas and various risk areas Results from the proactive suppression work of the suppression officials Office of Prevention and Suppression Inspection and Suppression Officers Regional Excise Office that has gone to the area to lay down carpets to suppress offenders all over the country From February 20-21, 2024, the Excise Department was able to arrest major cigarette smugglers in 4 areas, details as follows: 1. February 20, 2024, Region 8 Excise Office joins in integrating operations with police officers. Police Crime Suppression Division, Provincial Police Station 8 One arrest was made in a tobacco case. The incident occurred in Cha-uat Subdistrict, Cha-uat District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. There are details of the evidence in the case as follows: (1) foreign cigarettes Packaging size: 20 cigarettes per pack (17 items in total), quantity: 18,750 packs (2) Cigarettes, brand SMS Red. Packaging size: 20 cigar ettes per pack, quantity: 1,500 packs (3) Cigarettes, Wonder S brand. Green, containing 20 cigarettes per pack, 500 packs, total of 20,750 packs of cigars (4) 1 Honda Jazz brand passenger car (5) 1 set of car keys, estimated fine 19,546,500 baht 2. February 21, 2024, Region 8 Excise Office together with police officers Police Crime Suppression Division, Provincial Police Station 8 Work together to seize the seized items in the case. (No perpetrator) Location of the incident: Post Office, Cha-uat Subdistrict, Cha-uat District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The details of the items are as follows: (1) Cigarettes Krongthip 90 brand, size 20 cigarettes per pack, 2,000 packs. (2) Cigarettes, Wonder S Green brand, size 20 cigarettes per pack, 500 packs. (3) Foreign cigars. (9 items of confiscated items) totaling 13,500 packets, total of 16,000 cigarets confiscated, estimated fine 15,011,313 baht. 3. February 21, 2024, Nakhon Sawan Area Excise Office Seize tobacco product parcels for which excise tax has not been paid. The details of the items are as follows: (1) Cigarettes Krongthip 90 brand, hard packs, total of 180 packs (2) Cigarettes Krongthip brand, 90 normal packs, totaling 4,490 packs. (3) Cigarettes, brand TEXAS 5, totaling 3,990 packs. (4) Cigarettes, brand CAPITAL, totaling 200 packs. Total 8,860 packs of cigarettes seized. Complaint accusing the person. Send a parcel of tobacco products The charge is for selling goods that are not taxed according to Section 204 (1). Estimated fine is 7,673,540 baht. 4. February 21, 2024, Office of Prevention and Suppression Inspection Prevention and Suppression Division 3, Excise Patrol Division 3.3, integrates operations with the Central Investigation Bureau. and Wang Thonglang Police Station One person was arrested for violating the Excise Law in the case of 2,359 foreign tobacco cigarettes and cigars, charged with selling goods that were not taxed according to Section 204 (1). Estimated fine of 3,892,350 baht. Dr. Nittaya added that If these products escape, they will cause great damage to the state. It is unfair to entrepreneurs who pay taxes honestly. Regarding public health safety from counterfeit products If any citizens know the whereabouts or see an offense involving products that are subject to excise tax, they can report it directly to the Excise Department. or any area excise office nationwide or hotline 1713 available 24 hours a day or email [email protected]. Source: Thai News Agency
