A shortage of kidneys for transplant in New Zealand.

There is a shortage of donor kidneys for transplantation in New Zealand. As a successful transplant is generally accepted to be superior to long-term haemodialysis as a treatment for chronic renal failure, efforts must be made to increase the supply of donor organs. Transplant centres in New Zealand are probably supplying near their maximum possible number of cadaver donors and it is not enough. The number of donors available could be greatly increased if peripheral hospitals took a more active part in donor supply. A further increase in the number of transplants in New Zealand each year would be expected if live related donor transplants were to become more common.