Govt to create transplant facility in every college: Nadda

To bridge the gap between demand and availability of human organs for transplantation, the government will work towards creating a transplant facility in every medical college in the country.
"At present all transplant facilities are available in metropolitan cities and 95 per cent are in private sector. There is a need to increase the facilities in other parts of the country. The Ministry will work to create a transplant facility in every medical college in the country in a phased manner," Health Minister J P Nadda said.
He was speaking after launching the Nationwide Registry for Organ and Tissue Donation at the 6th Indian Organ Donation Day here.

Nadda said the Health Ministry has decided to impart training in organ and tissue transplantation at all government hospitals even as he acknowledged a "delay" on the part of the government in promoting organ donation.
"There has been a delay on the government's side towards promoting organ donation, but the decisions we have taken in the last one year will make this cause a meaningful activity.
"We have decided to train paramedics in government hospitals in organ and tissue transplantation and sensitise them about organ donation, so that they can further pitch the issue in the society," he said.

The Health Minister also suggested that organ and tissue donation should be included in the syllabus of undergraduates (MBBS), postgraduates (MS and MD) and nursing degrees.

"Awareness strategy for general public needs to be developed keeping in view socio-psycho-cultural belief of the society," he said.
Calling upon all Indians to pledge to donate their organs after death, the Union Minister said that organ donation is often discouraged on the basis of superstitions.
"It is important to note that emotion will always be involved in any debate on organ donation, but when seen from the perspective of reason and rationale, the gift of life is the ultimate gift that one could give and organ donation is, therefore a 'God-like act' and needs to be encouraged," he said.

Expressing concern over the gap between demand and supply
of donated organs in the country, Nadda urged NGOs, voluntary organisations and religious leaders to encourage people to donate their organs.
The health minister pointed out that the current organ donation and transplantation system is nowhere close to the actual requirement in the country.
Against a requirement of 1 to 2 lakh kidneys, only about 5000 transplants are being done annually. Similarly, against a requirement of 30,000 liver transplants, currently about a 1000 are being carried out and the main reason for this is lesser number of organ donations from amongst the deceased, he added.

"The demand for organs for transplantation, on the other hand, continues to increase and will increase manifold in future keeping in view the increased incidence of lifestyle diseases. So, there is a need to devise a system for improving the rate of safe, effective and ethical donation of cadaver organs for transplantation," he said.
The Health Minister said the Centre is implementing National Organ Transplant Programme with a view to promote organ donation from deceased persons and thereby increase the availability of organs.
Nadda honored the Tamil Nadu government for their endeavour in the area of cadaver organ donation.
The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Registry has two components, one for organs and another for tissues, for professional and administrative bodies which can be accessed by networking organisations.

The purpose of the registry is to provide information about organ donation and transplantations to all stakeholders, sharing and allocation of organs in a transparent manner and monitoring trends, audits and outcomes of transplants. This will help in improving the practices and policies regarding organ donation and transplantation.