Bengaluru: To commemorate World Organ Donation Day, BR Life SSNMC Hospital organized a Bike Rally with an aim to create awareness and encourage people to pledge to donate their organs. Over 100 bikers came forward and participated in the rally that started from BR Life SSNMC Hospital premises at Rajarajeshwari Nagar and covered RR Nagar Arch, Kengeri Satellite Bus Stand, Chansandra areas. Prem Kumar, popular Kannada Cine Actor, later on launched “I LIVE ON” – a BR Life initiative to make the process of pledging for organ donation easier.
“I LIVE ON “campaign encourages people to come forward 
and pledge to donate their organs. This online platform makes the process of registration for organ donation simple and easy. In the wake of huge problems faced by the people in terms of organ donation and transplant, BR Life SSNMC Hospital has taken this initiative to create awareness and influence donors to pledge on donating their organs.
The rise in road accidents in India contributes largely towards increasing the number of head injury cases, resulting in 67% of brain death cases. However, in such cases, very few families come forward to donate organs to gift a second life to a person in critical stage and serious need of organ to survive.
According to survey studies, every year in India, about:
- 5,00,000 people die because of non-availability of organs
- There is a demand for 1,50,000 kidneys against the availability of 6,000
- There is a demand for 50,000 livers, only 1,500 are available
- Demand for the heart is 50,000 while the supply is 15
- 11,00,000 people wait to see the world with new eyes
Speaking on the importance of organ donation, Dr. N.K. Venkataramana, Founder & Chief Neurosurgeon, BRAINS said, “The organ donation rate in India is just 0.26 per million population. The needy waiters list is enormously increasing year after year. More than half a million Indians are estimated to be in dire need of an organ transplant. We need to create lot of awareness about organ donation. The human organs are so precious and if anyone decides to donate the organs they are actually extending their life further apart from saving lives. Regardless the social customs and religious beliefs people of all ages should come forward for organ donation voluntarily to see their loved ones continuing to live.
Discussing on the need for kidney transplant, Dr. Dilip Javali, Urologist & Transplant Surgeon,BR Life SSNMC Hospital said, “Live donor transplants account for the majority of kidney transplants in India; while cadaver transplants account for a very small number. In addition to the prevalence of end-stage renal disease, there is a significant increase in the burden of kidney transplant cases. To combat this burden, we must create strong awareness about the importance of organ donation, along with taking preventive measures to avoid kidney diseases.”
Commenting on the acute shortage of liver donors in India, Dr. Rehan Saif, Senior Consultant – Hepato Pancreato Biliary & Multi-Organ Transplant Surgeon, BR Life SSNMC Hospital said, “Sedentary lifestyle and excessive consumption of alcohol are two major factors that lead to the increase in the liver problems among youngsters in India. Most of these cases result in end-stage liver disease due to the ignorance of people. These patients eventually progress and may need a liver transplantation. However, with increasing waiting time for organ transplantation owing to non-availability of the liver, nearly 17% of patients on the transplant wait list die annually”.
