Lack of awareness, myths hit Rajasthan's cadaver organ donation programme

JAIPUR: Rajasthan has witnessed only 13 cadaver organ donations in the last three years. Though authorities claimed that organ donation programme in the state has been badly hit due to pandemic, they also stated that lack of awareness and myths are key factors responsible for poor organ transplant.

On the eve of National Organ Donation Day, TOI spoke to doctors and health department's State Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) to know what is actually lacking in organ donation programme. As per government data, 42 donors had saved 150 lives in the state in the past seven years.

"People are still hesitant about donating organs. So, a huge gap exists between transplants awaited and organs available. The entire process depends on certain medical parameters of a donor. As per statistics, one organ donor can save more than eight lives in a lifetime by donating organs that are functioning properly," said Dr Amarjeet Mehta, joint director of SOTTO.

Asked about the cadaver organ donations in Rajasthan, Mehta, said, "We have had 13 organ donations in past three years. Obviously the pandemic too had hit us badly."

How it can be elevated as states like Tamil Nadu have maximum cadaver transplants? "I think we have been working to clear the myths related to it and continuous awareness programmes are necessary to promote this in the state," Mehta added.

He said, "Organ donation can be either from a living donor or a donor who is brain dead. Living donors can donate some of their organs and tissues like kidney or part of the liver, part of the pancreas, part of the lung. However, usually most of the donations are after the brain dead of the donor. Usually, organs that can be transplanted are kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines, lungs, bones, bone marrow, skin and corneas," said Dr Sudhir Bhandari, principal and controller of SMS Medical College who is also the chairman of SOTTO. "Public awareness campaigns are the need of the hour. It is important to dispel certain myths to encourage donors to come forward and make the pledge. There are no restrictions on signing up for donation. Anyone, regardless of age or medical history, can sign up to be a donor. Organ donation does not disfigure the deceased donor's body.