Organ donation is a noble act that gives a second chance at life to many. Debunking all the myths regarding organ donation

Suniel Shetty looks fab at 60 and I was watching his latest series, Hunter–Tootega Nahi, Todega, on Amazon Mini TV. The series is based on organ trafficking, and it reveals a scary face of human life.

Then I chanced upon a short movie, Phir Zindagi, on YouTube. Starring Ratna Pathak Shah and Naseeruddin Shah, it is written and directed by the award-winning duo Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar, and supported by Praj Foundation. The young son of this couple dies in an accident. And they donate his heart to a small boy, who is shown smiling at the end.

The message in both the movies is the same: transplant of human organs gives someone a second chance of life. A few years back, I had attended a live concert by Anoop Jalota, organised by Organ India for raising awareness about the importance of organ donation.

I have also seen promos of actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan supporting eye donation campaigns. In fact, the two have pledged to donate their eyes. Like them, other actors Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherjee, to name some, are also organ donors. Organ donation is a noble act that can save or improve the lives of many people.

Why is organ donation such a scary term for most of us? I, then, decided to study this and am sharing my findings in this post.

What is organ donation?

Organ donation is the process of donating an organ or tissue from one person (the donor) to another person (the recipient) in need of a transplant. Organ donation can save lives and improve the quality of life of people suffering from organ failure, disease or injury.

According to a 2018 report, 1.46 lakh people donate their organs every year, which is a very poor ratio, as about 5.6 crore people die annually.  Only 0.01 per cent of people in India donate their organs. Most of them are friends and family.

More than half a million Indians are in dire need of transplants. While organ donation is more common in other countries, it is still a relatively new concept in India.

The first successful organ transplant took place in 1954 in the United States. It was done by Dr Joseph Murray who was also awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1990 for successfully carrying out a kidney transplant between twin brothers Ronald and Richard Herrick.

World Organ Donation is celebrated on August 13. India celebrates Organ Donation Day on August 3, commemorating the first successful deceased-donor heart transplant on August 3, 1994.

Who, What & How of Organ Donation

Organ donation is regulated by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, which was amended in 2011 to prevent organ trafficking and promote ethical practices.

As reported by Directorate General of Health Services, there has been an overall increase in lifestyle diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, Chronic Kidney Disease, Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver disease in the past decade, which may cause organ damage. Once the end stage organ failure occurs, such cases may require organ transplants.  

THOTA established the National Organ Transplant Program (NOTP) under the aegis of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO). This is responsible for coordinating organ donation and transplantation and functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

NOTTO maintains a national registry of organ donors and recipients, allocates organs according to a predefined criterion, monitors the quality and safety of organ transplantation, creates awareness and educates the public about organ donation, and provides training and guidance to the medical professionals involved in the process.

Organ donation can be done by living donors or deceased donors. THOTA also defines brain death as a form of death, which is a prerequisite for deceased organ donation. Brain death occurs when the brain stops functioning irreversibly and permanently, even though the heart may continue to beat with artificial support. Brain death can be diagnosed by a panel of four doctors using standard criteria.

Living donors can donate a part of their liver, pancreas or kidney to their blood relatives or someone they have an emotional bond with.

Deceased donors can donate six life-saving organs: eyes, kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas and intestine. They can also donate tissues such as cornea, skin, bone and cartilage.

The organs are fresh for the first six hours after death; therefore, the transplant is done within six hours of a person’s death. Age, lifestyle habits and health of the donor make a difference.

Challenges in Organ Donation

Many people in India are not aware of the need for organ donation or the process of donating organs. The main reasons for this low donation rate are lack of awareness, religious or cultural beliefs, family refusal, legal hurdles, logistical challenges and social stigma. Another reason is a lack of infrastructure for organ donation. There are not enough transplant centres, and the process of organ donation can be complex and time-consuming, loaded with paperwork and legal and ethical issues.

India lags far behind the western countries like Spain, United States and United Kingdom in terms of donation rate. The donation rate in India was only 0.65 per million population (pmp) in 2019, compared to 35.1 pmp in Spain, 21.9 pmp in United States and 15.5 pmp in United Kingdom.

NOTTO shares the changing pattern with growing awareness. India performed the second largest number of transplants in the world in 2019 (after United States).

Growing Awareness about Organ Donation

Despite the challenges, there have been efforts to spread awareness about organ donation. Several organizations have been educating people and encouraging them to become organ donors. Some well-known NGOs supporting organ donation drives are:

1. Donate Life India https://www.donatelife.org.in/
2. Mohan Foundation: https://www.mohanfoundation.org/
3. Gift Your organ: http://giftyourorgan.org/

How to become an Organ Donor  

You can register to be an organ and tissue donor if you are 18 years of age or above by filling an online form on NOTTO’s website (https://notto.mohfw.gov.in/) or by calling their toll-free helpline number (1800114770).  

Inform your family about your decision, as your family will be making the final decision whether or not to donate your organs after you die.

You can also talk to your doctor about organ donation to understand the process and give clarity on the process.

You can show your support for organ donation by filling a donor card or by wearing a donor badge.

Organ donation is a way of expressing one’s gratitude and compassion towards humanity. By donating organs, one can leave behind a legacy of hope and generosity that can inspire others to follow suit.

You can also spread awareness by donating blood.

This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023.

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