According to the official statistics released by the Scottish Government, the number of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register in the country has touched a new record high --- reaching up to more than two million!

Going by the governmental statistics, it is highly notable that, as of March 31, 2012, nearly 40 percent of the Scottish population – that is, a total of 2,025,400 people - had put their names forward for the NHS Organ Donor Register.

During the year 2011-2012, the number of deceased organ donors touched an all-time high of 81 --- with the figure not only marking an increase of nine on the earlier record high achieved in 2010-2011, but also representing the achievement of a 50 percent rise over the 2007-08 levels which had been set by the NHS Organ Donor Taskforce.

However, with lack of access to organs still claiming the lives of three people in the UK every day, and nearly 600 people still waiting for life-saving organ transplants, the ministers have asserted that there was need for additional efforts on the organ-donation front.

Nonetheless, acknowledging the fact that the going past the “two million mark” in organ donations was “a fantastic achievement,” Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “The number of Scots on the NHS Organ Donor Register is higher than ever before, and higher than the UK average. However, we know that there is still more to be done.”