Espousing the cause for human organ donation, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien today appealed to members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to pledge their bodies and save hundreds of lives in the country.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, he said that involving oneself to such cause would not only help in reducing the illegal trade of organs but eliminate black market.
"My appeal to all Members of Parliament... I know all of us want to be remembered in our lifetime, but if we pledge our bodies for use after death, 34 of these organs and tissues can be put to use," he said.
Leaders from across the political spectrum associated with him for the cause. They included Deputy Chairman P J Kurien who said that he has already pledged to donate his organs.
Derek's said India has one of the worst records when it comes to human organ donation.
Every year the pool of end-stage kidney-failure patients in India who need a transplant to stay alive swells by about three lakh. An equal number also suffer from failure of the liver, the heart, lungs or intestines, he said.
One way to spread awareness of human organ donation is to let people know that organs can be transferred from cadavers anywhere between 4 to 16 hours after death and from each body one can get as many as 34 organs or tissues, he said.
He cited Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh which have a good record for spreading awareness about organ donation and also mentioned about actor Kamal Haasan who has lead a campaign to spread the word of organ transplant.
"West Bengal too has a remarkable record where 10 lakh people including former chief ministers, have pledged their bodies," he said.
