A huge gap between availability and requirement of organs contributes to illegal trade, the government today said, noting that it has formed an inter- ministerial committee to coordinate all activities relating to promotion of organ donations in the country.
"Yes. The huge gap between the availability and requirement of organs contributes to the illegal trade in human organs," Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in a written reply in Lok Sabha when asked if the government has taken note of the illegal trade of kidneys reported in Delhi.
The government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee comprising members of various ministries to coordinate all activities relating to promotion of organ donations in the country.
The government, in close cooperation with states, has taken a number of steps to increase donation of cadaver organs to bridge the gap between demand and supply and to save the lives of a large number of people suffering from end stage of organ failure, Nadda said.
The government has also set up an apex national level organisation namely National Organs and Tissues Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) in New Delhi to promote retrieval of organs and tissues, he said.
NOTTO has a 24X7 call centre with toll free helpline number. A National Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant Registry has also been launched, he said.
Replying to another question, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said, "The government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee comprising members of various ministries to coordinate all activities relating to promotion of organ donation in the country".
The government is also implementing a National Organ Transplant Programme under which provisions have been made to award best transplant coordinator, best hospitals and institutes, doctors working in organ donation related areas and donor families, she said.
Patel said 15 members of donor families were honoured on 6th Indian Organ Donation Day in November last year.
"A post of director NOTTO in the rank equivalent to joint secretary to the government and 10 more posts have been created in NOTTO for its effective functioning," she said.
