‘Keep family members informed about organ donation pledge’

Organ Donation Foundation of India chairman Lal Goel on Friday said that it is necessary for those pledging their organs for donation to keep members of their families informed about their pledge so that organ harvesting takes place smoothly after their demise.

Speaking at a pledge programme organised by Alva’s Journalism students at Moodbidri, Mr. Goel said that many would have pledged their organs voluntarily during their lifetime. However, harvesting organs after their death requires permission from family members. Hence, donors should keep their parents, children and their spouses informed about their pledge, Mr. Goel said and added that a 74-minute-old baby too donated its organs in the U.K. recently.

He said that campaigns need to be undertaken to create awareness among people about the importance of organ donation. Living organs, including kidneys, liver and pancreas, of brain-dead people can be harvested and donated, Mr. Goel noted.

During the programme, journalism students and faculty took the pledge to donate heart, lungs, nerves, bones, middle ears, corneas, liver, heart valves, bone marrow, kidney, pancreas, tissues and blood vessels as part of public relations and event management exercise.

Alva’s Education Foundation Chairman Mohan Alva said that only about 0.1% of people in India donate their organs. While there was a demand for about 2 lakh kidney transplants a year in the country, only abut 10,000 transplants take place. It was similar in respect to other organs too.

The former Minister K. Abhayachandra Jain, who pledged his organs, was present on the occasion.

Shrikar L. Bhandarkar (82), curator of Alva’s Newseum, also pledged his organs for donation.