Organ Donation-Why Do We Have Few Takers in India?

chillibreeze writer — Mrunmai Menon

If you had to give up a part of your body, which one would it be?

Funny question, isn’t it? Or rather, it’s a very nasty question. But let’s just take a moment and think what it would be like to live without one of our organs—kidneys, pancreas, liver…EYES??? Hard to imagine, isn’t it? But there are people in the world who live like this with malfunctioning organs. And the only hope for such people to keep on living is organ transplantation and organ donation.

If you are an average teenager, you have probably already labeled this article as a social message and have decided to turn this page. But imagine for some time that you are an ‘above-average teen.’ Yes, this article does carry a social message, but more importantly it carries a sensitive message, a sensible message and a scientific message.

Each year, millions of people die slow painful deaths due to organ failures. The only thing that can save such people is organ donation. Anywhere between two to three million people have died in the past five years waiting for organs.

The problem: lack of awareness about organ donation and organ transplantation. If you don’t turn the page now, you will be the solution.

Organ donation – the what, the how and the when

Organ donation could result from the free will of a person when he is alive, or the will of his relatives when he is dead, to donate his organs to a person who is suffering from a disease.

Live donation too is quite common. However, with a live donor, only one of the kidneys and a part of the liver can be donated.

The other kind of donation is the cadaver donation, which is possible in the case of an individual who is brain dead.

Brain Dead???

In the case of brain death, a person is put on a respirator or a life support system. This system keeps the heart pumping for 24 to 48 hours. In this case, all the organs are supplied with blood, and hence are still alive. This is when organ transplantation is possible.

However, when death occurs due to heart failure, the organs too die from a lack of blood supply. These organs cannot be donated.

Brain death often occurs in the case of accidents where severe head injuries are sustained. Only a doctor can certify a patient as being brain dead. A brain dead person will never wake up or be able to walk or perform any activity again. However, brain death isn’t a coma. A person in coma is still very much alive.

Once a patient is declared brain dead, it is now up to the doctor to suggest organ donation to the relatives of the deceased. Once the family gives consent, the doctors can go ahead and perform the necessary procedures for the removal of organs.

What’s the situation like in India?

It is cadaver donation that has immense potential of saving the lives of millions of people who would otherwise die waiting. In India however, cadaver transplantation is still in its infancy.

Though India has among the world’s highest number of deaths from road accidents, organ donation from the deceased is estimated to be a miniscule 0.05 per million people. In the US and Hong Kong, it is 25 per million and 5 per million respectively.

Says Mr. Rajni Dhuwad, coordinator, Narmada Kidney Foundation, “There are almost 3 to 4 lac people who require a kidney to live their lives; out of these, only around 15 to 20 will stand a chance of getting an organ from a cadaver. Compare this to the 600 people who die in road accidents every year and who are proclaimed brain dead in at least half the cases……”

Where do the problems lie?

The problems lie in the general lack of awareness about organ donation and also, in a person’s unwillingness to donate. Families of the deceased who are unaware of the benefits of organ donation find it hard to digest that the organs of their loved ones will be given to someone else.

Superstitious beliefs and misconceptions don’t help to solve matters either. Most people believe that being cremated without all your organs intact will in some way interfere with religious ceremonies. But let’s think logically—how can saving someone’s life become a hindrance to religion? In fact, all religions— Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Judaism support donation as a humanitarian act.

Lack of awareness about who can donate, when, how, who to approach etc. are also obstacles that prevent cadaver donation from succeeding.

But there is still hope…

There are quite a few organizations working in the field of organ donation. The Narmada Kidney Foundation is one of them. This foundation came into existence in 1993. Over the years, it has created substantial awareness.

The organization holds seminars and distributes educational material— not just related to kidney transplantation, but also other organs. Their main aim is to create awareness about cadaver transplant.

Another organization is the Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network (MOHAN), a Chennai-based, non-profit organization. This organization has recently started a support group for patients suffering from kidney failure, and also for the relatives of those who have undergone kidney transplantation. Any individual who wishes to help such patients can also join the support group.

Realizing the urgent need to have a common platform for the "National Cadaver Organ Donation Program", MOHAN Foundation has launched the "Indian Transplant Newsletter.” The Newsletter explores all avenues to make “THE TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN ORGANS ACT,” a success in the country.

What can you do?

BECOME A DONOR. When you become a donor, you agree to willingly donate all or specific parts of your body after your death. Someone else will be able to lead a better life or maybe get a second life through your organs.

Becoming an organ donor is simple. If you’re above 18 yeas of age, all you need to do is fill an organ donor card (available at most hospitals and clinics) and preserve it with you. Your decision should be made known to your relatives and friends. Encourage them also to do the same. In the event of your death, family members who know of your wish can now donate your organs and gift someone a life.

The tough part here is convincing your parents. Death is certainly not a dinner table topic. However, nothing can stop you from doing this noble deed but yourself. If you’re convinced of your actions, then you can actually impart this knowledge to your friends and relatives. Today, awareness is all we need to save millions of lives. And this is in your hands.

There is nothing in this world that can be compared to the feeling that one gets by saving someone else’s life. You could call this a job for a super hero. And that super hero is— you.

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Mrunmai writes for chillibreeze.

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