The state was felicitated at the National Organ Donation Day function on Tuesday
Mandatory certification of Brain Stem Death, streamlining organ distribution and setting up green corridors for organ transport – Tamil Nadu has judged the best state in organ donation for the fourth time in a row.
The announcement came on the 9th Indian Organ Donation Day’, organised by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) in Delhi on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion minister of health Ashwani Kumar said: “People’s participation and people’s awareness is the key for encouraging organ donation.”
“There is a need to promote cadaver or deceased organ donation rather than relying on living donors in order to avoid the risk of commercial trading of organs“
Choubey also spoke about the many myths and misconceptions that surround organ donation. He said that very often, organ donation gets discouraged on the basis of superstitions. “I salute all those who have shown courage to donate organ of their near and dear ones, and shown us a direction to emulate this brave act,” he said.
Anupriya Patel who is also a junior minister in the ministry said that it is important to understand that in India it is mainly the living donors who are donating organs and only about 23% of the organ transplant is being done with organs obtained from the cadavers.
“There is a need to promote cadaver or deceased organ donation rather than relying on living donors in order to avoid the risk of commercial trading of organs and also to avoid the inherent risk to the health of the living donor,” Patel added.
Preeti Sudan, Secretary (Health), applauded the donor families and congratulated the state of Tamil Nadu for leading the nation in the field of organ donation. She urged the people to tell their near and dear ones about their willingness to donate organs so that it can be done smoothly after they are gone.
Maharashtra received an award for being the best State for promoting awareness on organ donations. Dr Subramania Iyer K, AIMS, Kochi was felicitated for conducting first hand transplant in the country and Dr Shailesh Puntambekar, Pune, received the award for conducting 1st Uterine Transplant in India.
