Why should you consider donating your organs?
The real question should be: Why not?!
Think about it: It doesn’t cost you a thing, and it can save several people’s lives!
Countless lives have been lost because a right organ match could not be found in time. You can help change that, by simply ticking a check box on a donor card.
You don’t need to worry about disfiguration of your body or any inconvenience caused to your loved ones. Any sufficiently-large medical facility should be well-equipped to handle the necessary arrangements, ensuring that the incisions are stitched-up adequately before the body is returned to family members.
Who can be an organ donor?
According to the Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee’s website:
Anyone is eligible to be an organ donor depending on doctor’s decision. As per the norms and guidelines of Government of Maharashtra organ donation can be done between 2 yrs to 65 yrs.
Tissues and organs transplanted after death include corneas, heart, liver, kidneys, bone and cartilage, bone marrow, skin, pancreas, lungs and others. One can only donate kidneys and bone marrow as a live donor.
What happens after death, if you’ve agreed to donate your organs?
Once again, from the ZTCC’s website:
Once patient is admitted; all efforts are made to stabilize the patients. If all efforts fail, patient is pronounced brain-dead after evaluation, testing and documentation. Consent from the family is obtained to proceed with donation and organ procurement organization (OPO) is informed. Consent from coroner/legal authorities is obtained. In the mean time the organ donor is maintained on ventilator, stabilized with fluids, medications and undergoes numerous laboratory tests. Recipients are also identified for placement of organs.
Surgical team are mobilized and coordinated to arrive at hospital removal of organs and tissues. Donor is brought to the operating room. Multiple organ recovery is performed with organs being preserved through special solutions and cold packing. Ventilator support is discontinued. Donor’s body is surgically closed and released.
How is the recipient chosen?
Organs donated need to be a suitable match to recipients on the waiting list. Recipients are chosen on the grounds of need, longest waiting time, by blood group and, if necessary, by tissue characteristics. The waiting list for transplant recipients is a very long one, as demand typically exceeds supply.
In India, the Transplantation of Human Organs Act prohibits any commercial dealings in organs and makes it a punishable offence.
I’d like to find out more about the Act…
To curb illegal trafficking of organs in the country, the Indian Government passed a law in May of 1994 that criminalized organ sale. The Human Organs Transplant Act (1994) lays down rules and regulations that are to be followed while conducting organ transplant.
Here are some links that help you understand it in detail:
- The Transplantation of Human Organs Act: Full Text
- The Transplantation of Human Organs Act: Chapter Wise Index
Who is behind this project?
This project was initiated by Naveen Bachwani in response to the growing need for organ donors in India, and the almost negligible awareness that exists on the subject, among people from all walks of life.
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