Within just 43 days of the launching of a digital pledge system on the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) portal, more than 20,000 people across Maharashtra have pledged to donate their organs.
So far, Maharashtra tops the list, with 22,335 (28 per cent) pledges, followed by Madhya Pradesh (18,289), Telangana (11,053), Karnataka (6,752) and Andhra Pradesh (4,055). In all, 80,000 Indians have pledged to donate their organs and tissue. The numbers speak for all, as earlier, people were not coming forward for organ donation but now, Maharashtra is leading, with the most number of pledges, which is a good sign for needy recipients.
These acts encourage others to participate in good cause
Such acts also encourage others to participate in a good cause, said a health official. A person, after his death, can give new life to up to eight people, by donating vital organs, such as kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, pancreas and intestines and improve the life of many more by donating tissues like cornea, skin, bone, heart valves, etc. According to the NOTTO website, people in the age group of 30-45 years are coming forward in considerable numbers to donate their organs.
Over 40,000 people in this age group have pledged to donate their organs. Next in line are those in the 18-30 age group, with around 22,000 pledges, followed by those 45-60 years of age, over 18,000. However, only 2,651 from the 60-plus group, so far, have signed up. Women continue to lead in pledging their organs and tissue. Of the more than 80,000 people who pledged their organs, over 47,000 were women, while men were over 36,000. While over 63,000 people pledged organs and tissues, over 9,000 promised to donate their organs.
Over 7,000 pledged to donate their tissues, said an official. These pledges will be associated with either the Aadhaar card number or the Ayushman Bharat Health account, for streamlined record-keeping. However, pledges from Mumbai are fewer than those from the semi-urban and rural districts of Maharashtra.
Nanded, Sindhudurg, Wardha, Sangli records good number of pledges
Districts such as Nanded (644), Sindhudurg (1,070), Wardha (675) and Sangli (671) have recorded more pledges than bigger cities like Mumbai and Nagpur (233). There is a lack of awareness because of which Mumbai hasnt recorded more pledges. But organ donations this year are more than that of last year. We are conducting several awareness camps and measures to increase organ donations as there are 4,000 people on the waiting list, of which 200 may get transplants by the end of this year, said an official from the state health department.
