Govt. to improve availability of infrastructure and trained manpower for organ transplantation

Stressed was on the need to promote organ donation from the deceased persons to meet the huge need for organ donation in the country

Organ donation needs to become a way of life for us so that we can give a new lease of life to those suffering from organ failure, said L. S. Changsan, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as she inaugurated the meeting on “Reforms required for augmentation of organ and tissue donation and transplantation in terms of Technology, Processes and Legislation in India.”

Prof. (Dr.) Atul Goel, Director General Health Services (DGHS); Dr. Anil Kumar, Director, National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO); and Vandana Jain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were among the dignitaries present at the occasion.

In her inaugural address, L. S. Changsan stressed on the need to promote organ donation from the deceased persons to meet the huge need for organ donation in the country.

Underlining the government’s efforts for the cause, Changsan said, "Government of India has adopted a policy of "One Nation, One Policy" for organ donation and transplantation and has also started the consultation process with the state governments in this regard. Our focus is to improve the availability of infrastructure and trained manpower for organ transplantation, especially in government institutions”.

She added that the government has already initiated an Organ Donation Public Awareness Campaign by the name of “Angdaan Jan Jagrukta Abhiyaan” which is actively underway in various states and institutions.

Dr. Atul Goel, Director General Health Services (DGHS) said, “NOTTO has taken the lead in the field of organ and tissue transplant in India. The Chintan Shivir provides an opportunity for introspection to put systems in place”. He added that “In our nation we have had a tradition of giving i.e. altruism. While we have live donations, we need to encourage deceased donations as much as possible both in government and private hospitals.”