The 6th Indian Organ Donation Day was organized by NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization), DGHS, MoHFW on November 27, 2015 at Vigyan Bhawan New Delhi. The program was organized inviting dignitaries and change makers who have influenced the cause of Organ Donation in India. Shri Jagat Praksh Nadda, Hon’ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, GoI was the Chief Guest of the session. The event was attended by Tamil Nadu health minister Dr C. Vijay Bhaskar, Dr.J. Radha Krishnan (State Health secretary, Tamil Nadu) and several other senior health ministry officials including Sh B.P. Sharma, Secretary Health and Family Welfare.

For Rajalakshmi, it was their first trip outside their home State of Tamil Nadu. On Friday, they made their maiden trip to Delhi on invitation from the Health Ministry in recognition of their noble act of donating the organs of her 27 years old son who was declared ‘brain dead’ after meeting with a road accident. She was honoured along with eight other donors from various parts of the country.

Headquartered at Safdarjung hospital in New Delhi, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) launched a national organ donation registry that will track, facilitate and promote organ donations across the country.

"A new decision to incorporate organ donation into the educational curriculum has also been taken, so that the children too get the real idea of organ donation," said Nadda, addressing a large gathering of organ donors, senior government officials, medical fraternity and NGOs working in the field of Organ Donation. He admitted there had been a delay on the part of the government in taking charge of this sensitive area of human health. Nadda called upon NGOs and voluntary organisations to come forward and work with the health ministry. He also stressed on the need of a forum that connects NGOs, hospitals and the ministry on the issues involved in organ donation and on formulation of new policies as government alone won’t be able to bring about this change.

Every year nearly 1.5 Lakh-2 Lakh people are in the need of kidney transplantation, but only 6000-7000 kidney transplantations are done. The dearth of organs sometimes pushes the family into buying it from some source, the same being a very punishable offence.

Dr.Jagdish Prasad, Director General of Health Services suggested that a three-pronged approach to deal with the present need –

a. Setting up of the required infrastructure and systems in place to deal with the technical needs of organ and tissue transplantation

b. Training the doctors and paramedical staffs

c. Creating awareness on large scale among the public through NGOs

The state of Tamil Nadu was awarded for ‘Best performing State in Organ Donation and Transplant’ to Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijaya Bhaskar. So far, 3966 organs have been harvested from 716 donors in the State. Mr. Vijaya Bhaskar said the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme includes liver, renal, bone marrow, stem cell transplantations and cochlear implantation, allowing even the poor to reap the benefits. The Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN) is first of its kind in the country. He also stressed on the important role played by the Tamil Nadu state government in the field of organ donation and transplantation. The success of transplant programme of Tamil Nadu could be attributed to a slew of proactive measures, including setting up procedures and protocols for donation, distribution and transplantation. Need-based Green Corridors are set up, thanks to the assistance of the police and the role of grief counsellors, transplant co-ordinators, and NGOs such as MOHAN Foundation and NNOS Foundation

In a session focusing on promotion Organ Donation, Dr. Harsha Jauhari- Advisor Organ Transplant, Health and Family Welfare very emphatically put across, “Organs are national resources. We must see to it that they don’t get wasted.”

Dr. Sunil Shroff, Managing Trustee, MOHAN Foundation shared his 18 years’ experience on the role an NGO plays in promoting and creating awareness among the general public about Organ Donation. The training of transplant coordinator, who counsels the families of a brain dead person, is one a kind programme by MOHAN Foundation.

Dr.Surabhi, a student from VMMC put across the view of the youth with regard to organ donation and stressed the need of motivating them for the same. As the youth would constitute the 60-70% of the population in India in near future they have the power to be the change makers to add India in the list of countries who are in the forefront in the cause of organ donation. Aggressive use of social media was suggested to reach out to the youth in larger way.

Religious leaders from various beliefs were also called to share their views that religion has with regard to Organ Donation. All of them spoke on how every religion talks about  helping the needy and that there is no better to serve God than to serve those who are in need. Organ Donation in this light is the biggest way to serve anyone as it gifts a person a gift of life. They also suggested that NGOs and government should work along with religious groups to promote the cause of organ donation. India is a country where majority of the people are motivated with their religious beliefs and religious leaders can thus influence many towards the cause of organ donation.