15th Indian Organ Donation Day Ceremony

Syllabus: GS2/Health

Context

• The Union Health Minister has addressed the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day Ceremony.

About

• The 15th edition of Indian Organ Donation Day was held under the year-long national campaign “Angdaan- Jeevan Sanjeevani Abhiyan”, which seeks to promote organ and tissue donation across the country. 
• The campaign emphasizes the need for increased public participation, dispelling myths and misconceptions, and motivating citizens to pledge for organ donation. 

Organ Transplant and Donation

• Organ Transplantation/Donation is a surgical procedure in which an organ, tissue or a group of cells are removed from one person and surgically transplanted into another person.
  • One person can save up to 8 lives by donating heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines.
• In India, the organ transplantation is one of the lowest in comparison with the western nations.
  • India’s organ donation rate remains under 1% relative to the population. 
  • India ranks third globally in organ transplantation.
• In 2023, more than three lakh citizens pledged to donate organs through the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). 

Laws and Rules Governing Organ Transplantation in India

• Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994: It is the primary legislation related to organ donation and transplantation in India and is aimed at regulation of removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.
• Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act, 2011: It allows swapping of organs and widens the donor pool by including grandparents and grandchildren in the list. 
• Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules (THOT), 2014: It has many provisions to remove the impediments to organ donation while curbing misuse/misinterpretation of the rules. 

Concerns

• Gap in Supply and Demand: According to government data, every year about two lakh people die from liver disease, fifty thousand from heart-related conditions, and over 1.5 lakh need a kidney transplant, yet only around 5,000 receive one.
  • The numbers speak to a systemic loss of life that could have been prevented.
• Administrative Gaps: Tragically, many potential donors are lost due to a lack of consent, delay in certification, or absence of medical coordination. 
• Misconception: Widespread myths around organ donation continue to discourage people from pledging or consenting.
  • Others worry that organ donation will disfigure the body or prevent a traditional funeral. 
• High Cost: Another persistent myth is the cost. In reality, donors or their families are not charged anything for organ donation.

Suggestions

• Organ donation should be included in school and college curricula as part of health education. 
• Media campaigns, similar to those used for polio eradication or blood donation, must be launched to build familiarity and break social hesitation. 
• Hospitals must ensure the presence of trained transplant coordinators who can sensitively and effectively engage with families during their most vulnerable moments. 

Source: PIB