The willingness of people in Belgium to donate organs has grown in recent years. The country was already a pioneer when it came to this form of solidarity.
The Federal Ministry of Public Health has shared figures about organ donation which it says emphasise the solidarity of the Belgian population. The number of deaths on the waiting list for organ transplants decreased by no less than 7.5% in 2024, while the number of transplants carried out rose by 8.5% compared to 2023.
"This positive evolution is the result of the growing willingness of the Belgian population to be organ donors," the ministry noted.
The country now has the highest number of organ donors per million inhabitants of all members in the Eurotransplant framework (responsible for the allocation of donor organs in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia).
Belgium works with an opt-out system for organ donation: anyone registered in the population register is automatically a potential donor unless they have explicitly said otherwise during their lifetime (for example, in their will, or via the government's health services' website). The Belgian law states the identity of both the donor and the recipient always remains confidential.
Living kidneys
While most people think of organ donation as something only possible when the donor has died, a living person can also donate an organ or part of an organ for transplantation. Most living donors donate one of their kidneys (most people are born with two) or a part of their liver.
In Belgium, the number of living kidney donations has increased remarkably. "Since 2022, the number of living kidney donors [with an 'emotional' relationship with the recipient, such as their friend or partner] in Belgium has increased by no less than 50%," the ministry said.
"This emphasises the willingness of many Belgians to actively contribute to saving lives by donating an organ while they are still alive. This trend is of crucial importance, as this can significantly reduce the waiting time for kidney patients."
Medical services have also recorded a remarkable increase in heart, liver and kidney transplantations. However, there has been a slight decrease in the number of lung transplantations.
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Overall, the number of people on the waiting list for organ transplants increased by 0.8% in 2024. The waiting list for heart and lung transplants has decreased remarkably. However, the waiting list for liver and kidney transplants showed an increase.
The ministry stressed the necessity to continue to inform and raise awareness so that this positive trend continues. "It is very important to discuss organ donation. It has a life-saving impact on thousands of patients."
