PROMOTION OF ORGAN DONATION IN INDIA FOR HUMAN ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

PROMOTION OF ORGAN DONATION IN INDIA FOR HUMAN ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION   I  RACE IAS : Top IAS institute coaching in lucknow

 

PROMOTION OF ORGAN DONATION IN INDIA FOR HUMAN ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

 

Mains General Studies: 2

(Government policies and interventions related to health)

Why in News:

  • Recently the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has amended the National Organ Transplant Guidelines.

Key points:

  • Registration for Organ Recipients:
  • Government has done away with the requirement of domicile registration for receiving organs from a particular State/UT
  • All States/UTs have been directed not to charge any fee for organ recipient registration.
  • Patient will now be allotted a unique ID by NOTTO on registration which will be carried forward even if the patient changes multiple hospitals in different states.
  • Age limit removed:
  • Earlier, only young patients below 65 years of age were given preference. Now people over the age of 65 can receive organs from deceased donors for transplant.
  • The government has removed the age limit for organ registration keeping in view the right to life under Article 21.

Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994:

  • The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 lays down specific rules relating to the separation and preservation and storage of human organs. The Act also regulates transplantation of human organs to prevent commercial use of human organs.
  • The law has been adopted by most states but some aspects are unclear, leading to confusion and varied implementation.
  • The Government is working on the approach of 'One Nation, One Policy' to bridge the gap.
  • Cadaveric donation includes organ donation, i.e. taking organs (heart, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas) from brain-dead people, as well as tissue donation, meaning tissue (skin, cornea, tendon, bone) from brain dead Lena as well as heart dead people.
  • Some states like Kerala and Maharashtra are charging Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for registration of organ transplant patients.

Organ donation needs to be encouraged in India:

  • India is the third largest organ transplant recipient in the world, but still lags behind in terms of the number of organ transplants because of the low number of organ donors.
  • Many new diseases are knocking in the modern lifestyle and increasing the demand of organs for the treatment of these diseases.
  • At present, organs for organ transplant in the country can be obtained only from deceased donors, heart and lungs.
  • About 1.5 lakh people die in road traffic accidents every year in India, many of whom could ideally be organ donors.
  • Organ transplantation also helps reduce the burden on the health care system by reducing the need for hospitalisation, repeated surgeries and long-term treatment.
  • The organ donation rate per million population in India is 0.52, which is much lower than the rate in Spain (49.6 per million).
  • Organ donation can help save many lives, as a single donor can donate many organs and tissues.

Benefits of amendment in guidelines related to organ transplantation:

  • It will be easier for the central government to frame a national policy for human organ transplant.
  • At present, a standard norm can be set in place of different rules related to organ transplant in different states.
  • These amendments will encourage cadaver donation, which is currently very low for all organ transplants in India.
  • However, these amendments related to organ donation will not be binding on the state governments as the constitution has declared health as a state subject.

Challenges associated with Organ transplant:

  • Lack of awareness: There is a lack of awareness among people about the importance of organ donation and transplantation, which leads to shortage of donated organs.
  • Shortage of donors: Despite increasing awareness, there is still a shortage of organ donors due to several reasons including religious beliefs and lack of trust in the medical system.
  • Legal and ethical issues: There are many legal and ethical issues surrounding organ donation including consent, allocation of organs and proper distribution of organs.
  • Transport and preservation: Transplantation requires organs to be transported and preserved under specific conditions to ensure their viability, which poses logistical challenges, especially for organs that have a short shelf life.
  • Medical suitability: Not all donated organs are suitable for transplantation due to medical conditions or other factors, which may limit the number of organs available for transplantation.
  • High cost: The costs associated with organ transplantation can be high, which may limit access to treatment for some patients.

Recent Status of Organ Transplantation in India:

  • India ranks third in the world in terms of organ transplants.
  • The total number of deceased organ transplants has increased from 837 in 2013 to 2,765 in 2022.
  • The total number of organ transplants (dead and alive) to increase from 4,990 in 2013 to 15,561 in 2022.
  • According to an estimate, 1.5 to 2 lakh people undergo kidney transplant every year in India.
  • In the year 2022, only one person in 10,000 received a human organ.
  • In the year 2022, out of 10,000 people, only 250 heart transplants have been done.

About NOTTO:

  • NOTTO is a government organization under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi.
  • NOTTO acts as the apex center for procurement, distribution and registration of organs and tissues for donation and transplantation in the country.

Conclusion:

  • Although there has been an increase in the number of organ donations in the last decade, there is still a need to increase cadaveric donation in India.
  • There is a need to increase awareness, confidence building and increase the number of medically qualified transplant coordinators to help increase deceased donation.
  • Overall, organ transplantation plays an important role in the medical field by providing hope to patients suffering from organ failure and improving their quality of life.
  • It is an important healthcare service that needs sustained support, awareness and education to increase organ donation rates and help patients in need.

Source: Hindustan Times and Jansatta

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Preliminary Exam Question:

'Health' is the subject of which list?

  1. State List
  2. Union List
  3. Concurrent list
  4. None of these

Answer: Option A

 

Mains Exam Question

Recently, the Central Government has amended the National Organ Transplant Guidelines. Explain the recent status of organ transplant in India and write about its challenges.