Officials register to become organ donors

Several high-level officials visited a Beijing hospital to register to donate their organs on Wednesday, the website of China News Service reported.

The officials registered at the Beijing Union Medical College Hospital in the morning, aiming to provide support for organ donations in China, the report said.

The officials included Chen Zhu, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and a former minister of health; and Hua Jianmin, head of the Red Cross Society of China, according to the report.

An online organ donation registry was launched by the RCSC on Wednesday to improve access to organ donations for life-saving transplants and to raise public awareness.

The registry, overseen by the society's China Organ Donation Administrative Center, is available for people aged 18 and over who are willing to be organ donors after their death.

In December, the State Council issued a guideline related to funeral reform, encouraging Party members and officials to register to donate their organs after their death.