The total number of organ transplants done per year in India has increased from 4,990 in 2013 to 12,746 in 2019 and India now ranks third in the world only behind USA and China as per the data available on the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT), website.  This was stated by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya while chairing the 12^th Indian Organ Donation day celebrations in New Delhi. Also present was Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar.

However, he added that "we are still facing a huge gap between the number of patients requiring transplantation and the number of people who consent to donate their organs after death. Further, the organ donation and transplantation activities have been negatively impacted due to Covid-19 pandemic which we hope to leave behind soon.”  

The event, meant to celebrate the gift of life given by the deceased donors to the transplant recipients was inaugurated by the Union Ministers to promote organ donation at a time the country’s demand for organ replacement far exceeds organ donations. The occasion felicitated the members of families of deceased donors who gave their consent in a time of grief.

Since 2010, Indian Organ Donation Day is being celebrated every year to commemorate the contributions made to society by deceased donors and their families.

He spoke from his experience of a known organ donor called ‘Deepak’ from Jamnagar in Gujarat whose father resolved to give his assent to organ donation. He exhorted the people to not only pledge to donate their organs but also spread the word on the paucity of organs available for transplant in the country and inspire others to come forward. Calling for greater coordination, he commented that all of society, the doctors, citizens, the governments and even the media need to play their role actively to address organ donation hesitancy and increase organ donation across the country.

Dr. Bharati Pawar delved into her experience in medicine to explain the helplessness of many individuals along with their families which gets addressed when an organ is donated and transplanted upon them. She said that this noble act is no less than the concept of ‘Amaratva’ espoused in our scriptures. “An organ donation is one more attempt given by Nature to be altruistic and give back to the society,” she added.

The Ministers gave away wards to encourage the exemplary performance by transplant professionals in our country: The State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) of Maharashtra won the award for the highest number of deceased donors transplantations while Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO) for the Western Region was recognised for best performance.