359 people in Saxony are waiting for a donor organ

In Saxony, 359 people are currently waiting for a donor organ. Although the number of organ donations in Germany in the first four months of this year was higher than in the same period last year, there is still a shortage, according to the latest figures from the German Organ Transplantation Foundation (DSO).

From January to the end of April, there were 368 post-mortem organ donations nationwide (2025: 341). This meant that 1,137 organs could be reported to the international procurement agency Eurotransplant for transplantation (2025: 992), it said. In Saxony, 27 corresponding organ donations (2025: 20) were realized and 71 organs (2025: 62) were removed.

"Gifted Years of Life" campaign in Leipzig

Organ Donation Day will be celebrated for the first time over two days in Leipzig next weekend - as part of the city festival. The "Gifted Years of Life" campaign will take place on the main stage. People with a donor organ will hold up signs on which the years of life they have been given are noted. This gives organ donation a face, emphasized Saxony's Health Minister Petra Köpping (SPD).

An appeal to citizens

"I appeal to all citizens to use this day to inform themselves about organ donation, make their own decision, document it and talk about it with their family," emphasized the Minister. This relieves the burden on relatives in the event of a case.

Hope for objection regulation

Together with colleagues from other federal states, she had campaigned for the introduction of the objection regulation, explained Köpping: "I hope that a constructive discussion on this will now take place in the Bundestag." The opt-out solution means that everyone is considered an organ donor after their death. Anyone who does not wish to donate must actively object.

Majority of Germans are in favor of organ donation

"The introduction of an objection regulation would be an important step towards strengthening organ donation in Germany in the long term and at the same time relieving the burden on relatives in an emotionally stressful situation," explained Axel Rahme, Medical Director of the DSO. The vast majority of people in Germany are in favor of organ donation. In an emergency, however, there is rarely a documented will of the potential organ donor.