Kazakhstan's Reliance on Living Organ Donors: Mistrust, Religion, and Cultural Factors
Struggles persist in Central Asia's widespread adoption of organ donation after death.
In Kazakhstan, organ transplants often serve as the last hope for individuals battling life-threatening diseases. However, the dependence on donors can be precarious, as their availability at times remains uncertain—leading to countless lives lost before receiving a donated organ.
Two types of organ donations exist: living and posthumous. While the former is primarily limited to kidney and liver donations, Kazakhstan has long relied more on living donors than posthumous ones, accounting for 80-90% of all donors [source].
Aidar Sitkazinov, Director of the Republican Centre for Coordination of Transplantation and High-Tech Services in Kazakhstan [source], attributes this trend to a lack of trust in the healthcare system.
People's fears stem from the belief that the system is riddled with corruption, leading them to believe their donated organs will be misused, sold illegally, or that doctors will purposefully neglect patients in order to gain possession of their organs.
These concerns aren't unfounded, as instances of organ selling have been documented in Kazakhstan, with 15 such cases reported in 2024 alone [source]. Nevertheless, Sitkazinov emphasizes that organ selling is illegal and that hospitals do not stand to benefit in any way if a patient becomes a posthumous donor.
Religion also plays a significant role, with many Kazakhstani citizens adhering to Islam or Orthodox Christianity, religious beliefs that discourage posthumous donation. Despite religious authorities supporting posthumous donation, many individuals still refuse to participate [source].
The reluctance to donate organs after death isn't solely a Kazakhstani issue, as studies show that this reluctance is common in Islamic countries where living donations are more prevalent [source]. On the other hand, Europe places greater emphasis on organ donation after death, with the practice making up 50% of the organ donor pool [source]. European countries even use organs harvested from individuals who suffered heart failure.
Present-day Challenges in Kazakhstan
As of May 2025, 4,226 individuals in Kazakhstan await an organ transplant, with 128 of those being children [source]. Of these patients, 3,828 are in dire need of a kidney, with those on the waiting list being those with no other options. According to Aidar Sitkazinov, an average of 300 people lose their lives each year due to a lack of available organ donors [source].
Although an opt-in consent system is in place in Kazakhstan, where each citizen must explicitly agree to donate their organs after death, relatives must still consent as well. This system was implemented in 2020, following a series of lawsuits from relatives who had grievances over organs being removed without their consent [source].
Despite the system in place, Sitkazinov highlights that the main issue is the refusal of relatives. With an adult population of 11 million, only 8,000 individuals have opted-in as of January 2025, while 115,000 have opted-out [source].
Similar challenges also plague other Central Asian countries, where a lack of trust in the system and misconceptions about organ donations are prevalent issues [source]. To increase the number of organ donations from deceased individuals, raising public awareness and enhancing transparency are essential first steps.
Further Reading
- Organ Donation in Kazakhstan: Progress and Challenges
- Organ Donation in Central Asia: Addressing Trust Issues and Misconceptions
- The Impact of Religious Beliefs on Organ Donation
- Overcoming Barriers to Organ Donation: A Global Perspective
[1] Enrichment Data: Organ Donation in Kazakhstan: Progress and Challenges, Organ Donation in Central Asia: Addressing Trust Issues and Misconceptions, The Impact of Religious Beliefs on Organ Donation, Overcoming Barriers to Organ Donation: A Global Perspective.
In Kazakhstan's health-and-wellness sector, medical-conditions such as life-threatening diseases necessitate organ transplants, yet the reliance on living donors poses risks due to uncertain availability. This trend is attributed to a lack of trust in the healthcare system, stemming from fears of organ misuse or illegal sales, and religious beliefs discouraging posthumous donation.
To alleviate present-day challenges in Kazakhstan, increasing public awareness and enhancing transparency are crucial first steps to boost organ donations from deceased individuals, with a goal to address mistrust and misconceptions about organ donations.
