Organ donation-India struggling with shortage of organs for transplantation

Organ donation ratio in India is estimated to be one of the lowest in the world as per WHO report. Lack of knowledge and prejudices about this often hold people back from donating their or their family members’ organs.

India is struggling with acute shortage of organs for transplantation and there is dire need to increase awareness on organ donation. According to a report, more than 500,000 people are waiting for organ transplant in the country and only handful of 3,500 transplants are performed annually. The shortage of organs for transplant is a universal issue; however, the situation is grave in India. With less than one person per million people, the organ donation ratio in India is estimated to be one of the lowest in the world as per WHO report.

Awareness is needed

Despite India being the world’s second-most populous country, it has a poor deceased organ donation rate of just 0.26 per million population compared to 26 in the US. Undoubtedly, the demand far outstrips the availability of organs. Due to the prevalence of myths and superstitions, many do not think about donating their organs even after death. Awareness on organ donation is therefore the only way out of this depressing scenario.

Unfortunately, very people in India have any idea about organ donation, or how they could potentially help after their deaths. Awareness sessions have to be held at offices, colleges, schools, and even homes to change this scenario. Most organ and tissue donations occur after the donor has died. But some organs and tissues can be donated while the donor is alive. However, the hope is the more potential donors there are, the more the likelihood of organs becoming available to save lives.

One donor can save up to 8 lives

Experts have estimated that only 2-3% of the overall organ transplant requirement is met in a year in the country. For instance, as per Organ Retrieval Banking Organization (ORBO), AIIMS, on average, 2 lakh people need kidney transplants every year, whereas only 10,000 get donors. It is important to note that one donor can save up to 8 lives as 8 organs can be harvested from one brain dead person. According to National Organ Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), almost 5 lakh people die every year and 17 people every day in India due to a lack of organ donors. This shows the dire situation in our country, where the act of Organ Donation and awareness about it are both significantly low.

Also Read: Organ transplant surgeries and Organ donation in India : There is a need for national-level awareness to be created

Lack of knowledge and prejudices about Organ Donation often hold people back from donating their or their family members’ organs. There is thus an urgent need to create awareness about organ donation on a monumental scale, such that it becomes a mass movement and people voluntarily pledge to donate their organs. Organs can be donated by anybody in good general health. This is a noble deed and the need of the hour. So, this World Organ donation day, take a pledge to help those who are in need of organs for survival.