PM Modi's call for organ donation highlights India's deceased donors challenge, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• PM Modi highlighted the importance of organ donation in his 'Mann ki Baat' address, sharing stories of both donors and recipients.
• Deceased organ donations in India reached a peak in 2024, with a 16% increase in transplants compared to previous years, totaling 3,403.
• A survey indicated that 82.9% of respondents were more willing to pledge organs after PM Modi's mention in 2023.
• India faces a significant gap between the need for transplants and the availability of organs, with a low deceased organ donation rate of 0.77 per million population.

Detailed Insights:

• The number of deceased organ donors in India has fluctuated, reaching 930 in 2016, declining in subsequent years, and then rising to 941 in 2022 after the pandemic.
• NOTTO has removed the domicile state requirement and age limit for organ recipients and is developing a national portal for transparent organ allocation.
• India's need for kidney transplants is estimated at 1.75 to 2 lakh per year, but only 13,476 transplants were performed in 2024, highlighting a critical shortage.
• While Tamil Nadu leads in deceased donor transplants, Delhi has the highest number of living donor transplants, particularly for kidney and liver.
• The low deceased organ donation rate in India, compared to countries like Thailand, China, and Spain, is concerning given the high number of road traffic accident deaths.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Organ Donation: The process of donating organs or tissues to help save or improve the lives of others.
• Deceased Donor: A person who has been declared brain dead and whose organs are suitable for transplantation.
• NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation): The apex body in India for coordinating and promoting organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

Organ Donation in India