Indore: 'Only 3.3% of needed organ donated’

Indore (Madhya Pradesh)

“Waiting list of people who need organ transplant is increasing, but the number of donors is not keeping pace. There is a demand of about 10,000 kidneys and 5,000 livers for needy patients but the number of donations is not more than 3.3 per cent in Maharashtra, and it would be similar in Madhya Pradesh as well,” said Sujata Ashtekar, consultant- Regional cum State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO-SOTTO) West.

She was talking to Free Press on the sidelines of the training programme of transplant coordinators organised by ROTTO-SOTTO West and SOTTO, Madhya Pradesh under the aegis of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).

She added that transplant coordinators play an important role in easing the process to give a new lease of life to the needy.

“Any hospital authorised for organ retrieval must have a transplant coordinator who can help in recognising the brain stem cell death and also in coordinating with SOTTO, ROTTO, and NOTTO for the same,” Ashtekar added.

Meanwhile, dean of MGM Medical College Dr Sanjay Dixit said, “Transplant coordinators of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jammu and Kashmir are being trained in the five-day training programme to make the organ donation process smooth and well coordinated.”

He said that the acts and rules of Transplantation of Human Organ Act (THOA), National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) were discussed with the coordinators.

Collective efforts required to spread awareness: Lalwani

Member of Parliament Shankar Lalwani said that organ donation is a noble cause and it saves life of many needy patients. "We must make collective efforts to spread awareness about organ donation and to motivate people for the same,” he said.

Lalwani also said that the set-up of SOTTO, Madhya Pradesh will be completed in a week. Divisional commissioner Pawan Sharma also participated in the inaugural session.