Fewer in city register to donate their bodies

JJ Hospital’s anatomy department, one of the most active body donation centres in the city, has seen a dip in the number of body donations and registrations in the last three years.

JJ Hospital’s anatomy department, one of the most active body donation centres in the city, has seen a dip in the number of body donations and registrations in the last three years.

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From 80 donations in 2010, the number has dropped to 60 in 2012. The number of people registering to make donations has also come down from 607 in 2010 to 412 in 2012.

According to the state medical education department, any registered medical college with a functional anatomy department can accept body donations.

Body donations at other city hospitals has also been dismal. The three civic hospitals cum medical colleges (KEM, Nair and Sion) witness approximately 15 to 20 donations each in a year.

“Owing to large numbers of unclaimed bodies, most hospitals don’t put in too much effort to encourage body donations,” said a senior doctor from a civic hospital requesting anonymity.

Experts said many hospitals have a set quota for accepting donations in a year, owing to which many donations get turned down.

“Many people are still unaware of the procedure to donate a dead body,” said KC Luthia, trustee, Manav Jyot Public Charitable Trust.