E-Paper
Indian Organ Donation Day: Only 1.5k liver transplants performed in India against demand for 30k: SGPGI director
The gap is an outcome of the skewed ratio of organ donors to that of those who need the transplant. Not just heart and liver, there is a long list of patients waiting for kidney, cornea, and lung transplants as well.
LUCKNOW Nearly 5 lakh people suffer from a heart failure in India annually, however, only 10-15 heart transplants are performed in the country. Similarly, there is demand for about 30,000 liver transplants every year in India but only 1,500 such operations are being performed.
This large gap between demand and transplants is leading to thousands of deaths in the country, according to doctors. The gap is an outcome of the skewed ratio of organ donors to that of those who need the transplant. Not just heart and liver, there is a long list of patients waiting for kidney, cornea, and lung transplants as well.
If anything, the gap is becoming wider every year. Against this backdrop, city-based Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute (SGPGI) is holding an awareness programme and pledge drive for organ & tissue donation at Malviya Auditorium in the University of Lucknow on Thursday, which is the 13th Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD).
“Due to a wide gap between donors and recipients, an estimated two lakh patients die of liver failure or liver cancer annually in India. About 10-15% of them could have been saved with a timely liver transplant. Hence, about 25,000-30,000 liver transplants are needed annually in India but only about 1,500 are being performed,” said SGPGI director Professor Radha Krishna Dhiman.
He added, “According to the national statistics from the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), since 1995, only 2,546 people chose to donate their organs after their deaths, thus becoming Deceased Organ Donors, whereas 34,094 chose to donate their organs whilst living. The scenario of organ donation in Uttar Pradesh vis-a-vis the national picture is 32 deceased donors & 1,876 living donors since 2015. To save more lives with the help of organ transplantation, one needs to promote cadaver organ transplantation in the state.”
The senior official further said, “With continuous advancements in medical science in the field of organ & tissue donation, it has now been established that organ donation from one individual has the potential to save up to 8 lives & tissue donation improves the lives of about 75 people. Despite having full knowledge and expertise, there is still a wide gap between patients who need transplants & the organs that are available here.”
He said, “State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation for the state of Uttar Pradesh (SOTTO – U. P.) is trying to bridge the gap between donors and recipients. Under the National Organ & Tissue Transplantation Program (NOTP), the SGPGI is holding an awareness drive to increase organ donation. The said program will begin with a note from Professor Alok Kumar Rai, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lucknow.”
On the occasion, a number of experts -- including the SGPGI director -- will tell the students about the importance of organ donation in saving their lives. “The target audience would be students & faculty of the University of Lucknow, to raise awareness for this noble cause of sharing the gift of life,” added Dhiman.
