One organ donor can save up to 8 lives; Organ donation rate in India still at 0.01%

Come August 13, the nation will observe it as the Organ Donation Day. Mind you that in India, nearly 5,00,000 people die because of non-availability of organs, 2,00,000 people die due to liver disease and 50,000 people die because of heart disease. Moreover, 1,50,000 people await a kidney transplant, but only 5,000 get among them. The whole idea of observing such a day is to motivate normal human beings to pledge to donate organs after death, and to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation. The organ donor can play a big role in saving others' life. The organ of the donor can be transplanted to the patient who needs it urgently. There are myths and fears in peoples' minds about organ donation.

These have to go. Speaking to Bizz Buzz exclusively, Vaishali Chodnekar, Managing Director, YMC Organ Donation and Transplant Foundation, a global not-for-profit organisation that partners with corporates, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to help 'End stage organ failure' patients and 'Transplant' patients to lead a better quality of life globally, says how strongly she feels that without an organ donor, there is no story, no hope, no transplant. But when there is an organ donor, life springs from death, sorrow turns to hope, and a terrible loss becomes a gift. She explains how badly India needs organ donations.

Organ donation in India is only just beginning to take off – the reason for the delay being lack of awareness, spiritual belief of life after death, and generally negative attitudes towards organ donation. Donation is encouraged as a charitable act that saves or enhances life; therefore, it requires no action on the part of the religious group

The government of India should undertake the responsibility for establishing proper infrastructure all over India to facilitate speedy transport and harvesting of organs. The official paperwork should be more donor-friendly and convenient. The NGOs along with healthcare providers should run their awareness campaigns in a more intensive way, involving print/social and electronic media. Let us all come forward and fulfil our duty towards the greater good of humanity by pledging our organs that have the power to save lives after we leave

Thousands of lives can be improved through organ and tissue transplants, enabling people to live better, and in many cases, survive. So, why are only 0.01 percent of Indians consenting to donate their organs after their death?

Despite the government identifying the need for organ donation, there is a disparity between huge demand and low supply. Organ donation in India is only just beginning to take off – the reason for the delay being lack of awareness, spiritual belief of life after death, and generally negative attitudes towards organ donation. Donation is encouraged as a charitable act that saves or enhances life; therefore, it requires no action on the part of the religious group.

What have the government and organisations like yours done or what are they doing to encourage organ donations or ensure smooth implementation of this initiative?

Organ donation is the process of retrieving or procuring an organ legally with the intention of being able to medically help someone in need. Consent is given either by the donor while they're still alive, or after death by their next of kin. First the organ is recovered, or 'harvested,' before being transplanted into the recipient in need. Organ donation in India is regulated by Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act-1994. The act aims to control the removal, storage, and transplantation of organs and prevents any commercial dealings, while the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation facilitates procurement, allotment, and distribution of organs within India. With a budget of Rs149.5 crore, the Indian government implemented the National Organ Transplant Programme for promoting organ donation.

As you pointed out that there is a, spiritual belief of life after death, which often stands in the way……...

Interestingly, the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2:22 describes the mortal body and the immortal soul in a simple way like the relationship of clothes to a body: "As a person puts on new garments giving up the old ones the soul similarly accepts new material bodies giving up the old and useless one" therefore, life after death has nothing to do with organ donation as the old body becomes useless. Holy Qur'an, chapter 5 vs. 32 states: "Whosoever saves the life of one person it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind", this is a fundamental aim of the Shariah, and Muslims believe that Allah greatly rewards those who save others from death.

When you say that India badly needs the organ donation rate to pick up substantially, is there any statistics to justify that?

India's statistical data shows that in response to the demand for 1.75 lakhs of kidney transplants, only 5,000 transplants were completed. With 50,000 people dying of terminal liver disease, only 1,000 got transplants. These statistics are even more distressing in organs like hearts and lungs. About 0.5 million people in India die every year from causes that could have been prevented by organ transplants that were not available to them. Organ donation rate in India sits at 0.01 per cent, a miniscule figure in comparison to countries like Croatia's which sits at 36.5 per cent and Spain's at 35.3 per cent.

What is the rate you are looking at or what could be an ideal organ donation rate?

One donation from a deceased donor whose brain gave way before their heart can save lives of up to eight people, who are suffering from end stage organ failures. If India's donation rates were to be improved to one donation per million deaths, it would satisfy the country's organ requirement completely.

What is the modus operandi? How can one pledge his organ/organs?

The process of pledging is simple. A donor card is provided to a person who is willing to donate the organs after death. Donor cards are not a legally binding document – it is only an expression of a person's willingness to be a donor. At the time of organ donation, the family of the patient will make the final decision on whether to donate organs or not. Any person willing to donate his/her organs can do so by filling out the donor consent form available on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India website.

So, what should the government and organisation like yours do?

The government of India should undertake the responsibility for establishing proper infrastructure all over India to facilitate speedy transport and harvesting of organs. The official paperwork should be more donor-friendly and convenient. The NGOs along with healthcare providers should run their awareness campaigns in a more intensive way, involving print/social and electronic media. Let us all come forward and fulfil our duty towards the greater good of humanity by pledging our organs that have the power to save lives after we leave.