Just a few days back there was an article about a young boy’s family donating his organs when he was declared brain dead.
“Such a noble thought” we say! Indeed it is a very gracious deed. Organ donation is considered to be the highest form of charity, an act to give back to society. But what happens when it comes to us personally implementing the same thing?
How many of us have signed up for an organ donation if something untoward happens to us ?
Or, have you ever thought about it?
Why leave your family in a dilemma when certain decisions can be taken before hand?
13th of August 2016 is celebrated as Organ Donation Day in India. Various government organisations, NGOs and hospitals work towards spreading the awareness of this cause. They help to motivate people to donate organs as well as to understand the value of organ donation in the life of an individual.
Organ donation is the harvesting of an individual’s organs after he or she dies for the purpose of transplanting them into another person. The person who gives the organs is called a donor while a person who receives the organ is called a recipient. One can get a new life through the organ transplantation donated by someone.
Some things about Organ Donation:
- Anyone can be an organ donor irrespective of age, caste, religion, community, current or past medical condition. Children can also be organ donors after taking consent for organ donation from their parents.
- However certain diseases like active cancer, active HIV, active infection have restrictions. Patients suffering from Hepatitis B and C also have some limitations.
- Vital organs like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas can be donated only in case of ‘brain death’.
- However other tissues like corneas, heart valves, skin, bones etc can be donated only in case of natural death.
What is a national organ donor registry?
It is a nationally recognized enrolment procedure where people willing to donate their organs after death register themselves. The enrolment is done on a common online portal. This data is accessible to all the hospitals so that in case of brain death or head trauma cases the authorities can look up if the person is a registered organ donor.
Organ donation is the need of the hour! India is struggling with an acute shortage of organs. It is estimated that more than a million people suffer with end stage organ failure, but only a handful of 3,500 transplants are performed annually. At least 15 patients die every day waiting for organs and every 10 minutes a new name is added to this waiting list.
Let’s take a step towards humanity today by registering for organ donation. Click on the below link for further details:
