China's organ transplant head Huang Jiefu was quoted by Chinese media on Thursday as saying the practice would be "comprehensively" terminated next month.

China banned trading in human organs in 2007, but demand among its population of 1.3 billion far exceeds supply. Rights groups say safeguards are ignored, with prisoners pressured to "donate."

The US-based Dui Hua Foundation said last year that China put to death 2,400 people, down from 12,000 in 2002.

The newspaper Southern Metropolis Daily quoted Huang, a former vice health minister, as saying voluntary donation will in future be the only method of sourcing organs for transplant.

He reportedly acknowledged, though, that China had one of the world's lowest levels of organ donation because of widespread belief in reincarnation.

Fears of potential corruption were another cause, he added.

"It can't be denied that at present, apart from the traditional thinking that keeps enthusiasm for organ donation low, people also have concerns as to whether organ donation can be fair, just and transparent," he reportedly said.

Trend to donations?

He added that around 300,000 patients in China were in "urgent need" of transplants every year. Only about 10,000 operations are carried out.

In November 2012 Huang said China would end its reliance on executed prisoners' organs within two years.

On Thursday, Huang said 1,500 people had donated organs so far in 2014 under a new system.

ipj/tj (AFP, AP)