With August 13th, 2015 being observed as Organ Donation Day in India, senior transplant coordinator at Global Hospital in Parel, Dr Sujata Nadar, throws light on various aspects holding Mumbai from excelling in organ donations as compared to other cities. She states that despite 32 hospitals being registered for organ transplantations in the city, the outcome is poor as half of the hospitals fail to contribute. Dr Nadar adds that there should be mandatory rules by the State government which includes identification of brain-dead patients, convincing and informing people about the procedures about organ donation.
In a conversation with Manasi Tahalani, Dr Nadar informs that people’s beliefs, thoughts and lack of awareness is coming in the way of organ donations. She states that civic-run hospitals who can bring out major contribution in organ donations are failing owing to shortage of skilled and dedicated transplant coordinators. Following this, Dr Nadar emphasises that the State government should rope in private hospital transplant coordinators at civic hospitals who will give training to civic hospital transplant coordinators and will also provide a helping hand in carrying out successful organ donations.
Q: After 47 years, the city witnessed two heart moving stories wherein two people received hearts from Pune and Mumbai within a week. Do you think that there is scope and hope for Mumbai?
A: It is definitely a positive sign. Today, if we are able to witness heart transplantation in the city, then it is because awareness is slowly spreading among people. They understand the importance of the noble cause which is saving lives of the people. Also, we need to make note and appreciate the media who has been rigorously covering this issue, especially, the print media. When every day you read about organ donations in a newspaper, you start giving a thought on the subject and understand the importance. Also, through newspapers, people have become aware and it is reaching out to billions every day. However, there is a lot to be done as we still lag far behind other cities and states.
Q: Why is Mumbai lagging behind in organ donation in comparison to other cities?
A: There are four major reasons. First, we are facing issue of non-availability of donors. This is because people are not willing to step ahead and donate their organs owing to reasons such as their beliefs, thoughts, religion and attitude. For instance, some believe that if they donate their relative’s eyes this birth then they would born blind or handicapped in their next birth. Also, people are so much attached to their relatives that they are not willing to donate any organ.
Secondly, there are so many legal procedures involved in the process of organ donation wherein police get involved and they ask questions to the relatives whether they are willingly donating the organ or not. All these procedures are very tiring and time consuming. Following this, people are disinterested and also scared to get involved in legal matters. Third, yet there are many people who are not aware about organ donation and do not know the significance and how they can contribute. Fourth, there are many hospitals which are not able to perform and participate in organ donation, especially the civic hospitals.
Q: Yes, civic hospitals have been lagging behind owing to lack of transplant coordinators. So, what do you think can be done to deal with this situation?
A: The State government should rope in private hospitals’ transplant coordinators and ask them to help and train civic hospitals’ transplant coordinators. Also, they can provide with some remuneration to private hospital transplant coordinators in order to keep them motivated. This will be a win-win situation for both civic as well as private hospitals. In spite of civic hospitals admitting so many accident cases and conducting surgeries, they are failing at identifying brain-dead patients. Public hospitals need to gear up, take initiatives and contribute in organ donations. There should be strict rules for all the hospitals to identify brain-dead patients and approach their families in order to convince them for organ donation.
Q: What changes are required to facilitate successful organ donation in all the hospitals?
A: For this, all the transplant coordinators need to be skilled, dedicated and determined towards their work. They have to be ready mentally and physically to work wholeheartedly towards this issue. We need strong rules and regulations for those hospitals which fail to participate and contribute. Along with National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) which is already into action, Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTOO) will soon be coming under which all the 32 hospitals have to get themselves registered. For which, we have sent intimation letters to all and KEM hospital will be the office for ROTOO. These two organisations will work towards carrying out safe and smooth organ donations and we hope that the numbers of organ donations will get doubled by 2016 Organ Donation Day.
