According to a survey In India, every year about 500,000 people die because of non-availability of organs, 200,000 people die due to liver disease, and 50,000 people die because of heart disease. Moreover, 150,000 people await a kidney transplant but only 5,000 get among them. While Organ Donation can help save the life / renew the life of another, one must guard against unregulated commerce in this life-saving activity. It was rampant in the past and subsided after the government passed legislation – Transplantation of Human Organs Act – in 1994. The legislation was aimed at the regulation of removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.
Organ Donation Day is observed every year on the 13th of August to create awareness about this very important way of saving a life. Organ Donation is donating a donor’s organs like heart, liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, and pancreas, after the donor dies, for the purpose of transplanting them into another person who is in need of an organ.
Dr. Yusuf A Kumble, MBBS, MD, (DNB – Cardio), DM Cardio (AIIMS), FSCAI, FESC, FACC (USA), Chief Interventional Cardiologist and founder and MD of Indiana Hospital & Heart Institute Ltd together with Shri Lal Goel, Chairman, Pandit Resort, Moodbidri, visited the Newskarnataka.com studios in Mangaluru, and discussed the impediments to, and possibilities of Organ Donation in India.
Watch the discussion below (in two parts – Scroll to the end for the second part)
Part 1:
Facts about Organ Donation
The process by which the biological tissue or an organ is retrieved or procured from a dead or a living person, and transplanted into the recipient who is in need of it is known as organ donation. The process of retrieving or procuring the organ or tissue is known as harvesting.
Organ donation can save lives but due to misconceptions and lack of knowledge among people in India, the percentage of organ donation is not as high as it should be. Due to a shortage of donor hundreds of people waiting for a transplant are dying. The gap between the people waiting for organs and donors is due to the following reasons:
- In the case of deaths occurring due to road accidents, the rule says that the organs can be donated only if the death occurs in the hospital. As a result, kin of a person dying on the spot are unable to donate the organs.
- Another major reason is that many people have not pledged their organs in their lifetime. A pledge is a registered wish to donate organs on one’s demise.
- There is a lack of awareness.
- Religious beliefs also contribute toward myths and misconceptions deterring individuals from pledging their organs.
What is Organ Donation?
It is time for people to become aware of the nuances of organ donation so that every life that comes to an end is able to extend the life span of eight more lives. First, we need to understand that there are two kinds of organ donation:
Live Donor vs deceased Donor
Live Donor
- The donor here is a living person.
- Donation of liver and kidney, and in rare cases, pancreas, intestines and a lobe of the lungs can be made even while alive
- Generally, the donation is within the family depending on the matching of parameters of the donor and the recipient.
Deceased Donor
- As the name suggests, here the organs of the deceased or the brain dead are harvested for the benefit of the donor.
- Brain dead signifies the absence of brain stem reflexes and no spontaneous respiration.
- Prior consent of the donor in the form of a registered pledge or the consent of the next of kin is required for the process of harvesting organs.
- Even if the deceased has pledged the organs, the next of kin has to sign a consent in the matter.
Organs that can be donated while alive
- Liver: Livers re-generate themselves. Thus if a portion is donated, the liver will grow back.
- Kidney: Human beings can survive with one kidney. The other spare kidney can be donated.
- Lungs: A single lobe of the lungs can be donated, though unlike the liver, lungs do not regenerate.
- Pancreas: A portion of the pancreas can be donated while retaining its functionality.
- Intestines: In rare cases living donors to donate a portion of their intestines.
Individuals suffering from active cancer, active HIV, an active infection like sepsis or the individuals using Intravenous (IV) drugs cannot donate their organs. Organs & tissues that can be harvested from a cadaver are:
- Kidney – The functioning lifespan of a transplanted kidney is about nine years.
- Liver – A liver has the ability to regenerate itself. Once harvested it can be split into 2 and thus two individuals will benefit from it.
- Heart
- Lungs – Single or double-lung transplants can be performed.
- Pancreas
- Intestine
- Blood stem cells
- Blood and platelets
- The body
- Tissues: Must be donated within 24 hours of death.
- Cornea: Must be donated within 24 hours of death. It is understood that the corneas of one deceased individual will benefit two blind people.
- Bones
- Skin
- Veins
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Heart valves
- Cartilage
While most organs must be used between 6 and 72 hours after removal from a donor’s body, tissues such as corneas, skin, heart valves, bone, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage can be preserved and stored for later use.
Age Restrictions: Anyone with average health can donate their organs.
Part 2:
The Process of Organ Donation
- Living people in their lifetime can pledge their organs. They will receive Donor Card which acts as a will bequeathing the organs. The individual must carry the card on the person and inform next of kin of the wish so that it can be executed.
- In the case of brain dead patients, the Transplantation of Human Organs Act has been established with the rules to be followed for organ donation. Apart from the procedures laid down in the act, consent from the family, coroner, and legal authorities is obtained before the harvesting process. While the legal formalities are in the process the patient is kept alive on a ventilator.
- In case of an already deceased patient, the next of kin can donate the organs.
Newskarntaka.com in association with Global TV has undertaken a mission to generate awareness about this life-saving method through its various platforms in public interest.
