Organ donation should become a social movement. Donating organs is a gift of life: J P Nadda

New Delhi, July 06, 2016: While noting that donating organs is a gift of life and is an altruistic, egalitarian and essentially moral act, Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare urged people to come forward and donate organs to save lives. He stated that organ donation can benefit the recipient largely by improving health, quality and span of his life and even save him from death or other critical conditions. He was speaking at a function organised by Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti (DDDS) here today. The Samiti organised a Dialogue on framing of the protocol to develop respect for donated cadavers and the families of cadaver donors amongst the medical teaching community.

Speaking on the occasion, the Health Minister urged the participants to list down the solutions that will encourage organ and body donation and assured that the Government will not delay its implementation. He further said that the Ministry has started taking concrete steps for harvesting of cadaver organs and tissues and hope that the government will be able to optimally utilise this vast national resource.

Elaborating his ideas, the Health Minister said that the benefits of initiatives should reach out to every nook and corner of the country and should not be limited to cities only. He further added the demand for organs continue to increase manifold in future keeping in view the increased incidence of lifestyle diseases. So, there is a need to create a system for improving the rate of safe, effective and ethical donation of cadaver organs for transplantation in those who need them badly. The Health Minister acknowledging the work of Samiti said, that suggestions and inputs coming from the Samiti are very meaningful and full of experience and the Ministry is taking them very seriously.

Dr. B D Athani, Special DGHS, informed that Government is taking various steps to simplify organ donor law/rules and procedures. He said that the Website of National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (www.notto.nic.in) provides updated information and online facility for registering pledges for organ donation. 13,443 donors have already pledged for organ donation. A 24×7 call centre with toll free helpline number (1800114770) has been established for providing information on organ donation and coordinating matters relating to retrieval and allocation of organs recovered from cadaver donors.

Also present in the meeting were Dr S S Aggarwal, National President, IMA, Shri Alok Kumar, President, DDDS and the Heads of Medical Research Bodies of the Government and the representatives of Medical Colleges and NGOs