Live And Then Give

What do the Indian numbers speak?^[4]

• Mortalities (per-annum deaths) 

• 500,000 people for the non-availability of organs.

• 200,000 people because of liver disease.

• 50,000 people from heart disease

• 150,000 people are waiting for kidney transplant 

• 1,000,000 people suffer from corneal blindness​

Why India needs to step up for organ donation: 

• The rate of organ donation is only 0.31 per million in the Indian population, compared to some western countries where it is as high as 36; in Spain, it's around 35.1 per million.^[5]

• Only 0.01% of Indians have given consent to donate their organs after their death.^[2]

• Unfortunately, the need for organ donors is much greater than the number of people who donate. 

• One donor can save up to 8 lives and positively affect 50 on efficacious usage of all organs and tissues.^[3]

You can be an organ donor irrespective of age, caste, religion, or community.^[1]

What parts of the body can be donated?

Who can donate? ^[10]

Cadaver donation: Person declared 'brain dead' (No age limit).

Live donation: Indian citizens aged above 18 years of age. 

Who cannot donate?(6,7)

Cadaver donation: 'Brain dead' person being medically unfit for organ donation.

Live donation:

• Below 18 years of age.

• Mentally challenged

• Suffering from severe health conditions like heart, kidney or liver disease, HIV or Cancer.

How do I become an organ donor?^[8,9]

• Tell your family. Make sure your family knows your wishes regarding donation.

• Designate your choice on your driver's license. Do this when you obtain or renew your license.

• Deceased Donations: If a person has been declared brain dead but did not have a card, the family or lawful custodian needs to fill out a consent form at the hospital for organ donation.¹¹

• Register with your state's donor registry.

• Non-profit agencies where one can register.

¹²Common Myths around organ donation

Myth: I'm too old to donate; my organs are of not much use.

Fact: There's no defined cutoff age for donating organs.

Myth: My family will be charged if I donate my organs.

Fact: The organ donor's family is never charged for donation.

Myth: Rich and famous people go to the top of the list when they need a donor organ.

Fact: The rich and famous aren't prioritised when allocating organs; there's a Govt. regulated process.

Myth: Organ and tissue donation will disfigure my body.

Fact: Donated organs are removed surgically, which doesn't disfigure the body.

Some FAQs

Q) 13  If you carry a donor card, can organs be removed without the family's consent?

A) No. Signed consent from immediate family members is required.

Q) 13 Are Smoking & habitual use of Alcohol contraindications for organ donation?

A) No, provided the organs are functioning well.

Q) 14 Will being a declared organ donor affect the care I receive in a hospital?

A) Organ donation is not even considered until all possible efforts to save a person's life have been exhausted.

Q )15  Can family members choose to donate their loved one's organs after they die?

A) If a person is not registered, their family may decide to donate their organs on the dying person's behalf.

Q) 16 If I had pledged before, can I change my mind to un-pledge?

A) You can unpledge by availing of the option by logging into your account.

Do you know?^{[ 17,18,19,20]}

Living-donor transplantation offers an alternative to waiting for a deceased-donor organ to become available timely at the need of the hour. 

Living donors don’t have to be related to their recipients. On average, 1 in 4 living donors is not biologically related to the recipient.

Living-donor organ transplants are associated with fewer complications & have prolonged efficacy.

Nearly 6,000+ living donations occur each year, about 40% of total donations.

What Organs & Tissues can we donate while still alive?^[19]

• One of your kidneys

• One liver lobe.

• Part of the lung, pancreas, and intestines.

• Skin—after surgeries such as a tummy tuck.

• Bone—after knee and hip replacements.

• Cells from bone marrow & umbilical cord blood.

• Blood- WBC, RBC & platelets.

Positive Aspects of Living Organ Donation^[20]

For Receiver - 

• Survival with a Quality life

• Increased life span

• Better results

• Kidneys and Livers Function Almost Immediately

• And gratitude...!

For the Living Donor-

• Positive emotional experiences

• A satisfaction to be a Saviour...!

Do you know?^[22]

India Ranks Third in Organ Transplantation, preceded by the US and China. 

FACTS & FIGURES [21, 22, 23]

1. The total number of organ transplants done per year has increased 4 times, from 4990 in 2013 to 12,746 in 2019. 

2. The number of men, women & children on the national transplant waiting list is 1,05,896.  

3. Number of transplants performed in 2021 were 40,000+

4. Each day 17 people die waiting for an organ transplant. 

5. Every 9 minutes, another person gets added to the transplant waiting list. 

6. The youngest organ donor in our country is a fourteen months old baby boy from Gujarat, who donated his heart and kidneys and gave life to two people!

National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) ,under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is working continuously to monitor, control & bring effectiveness with complete transparency.^[24]

References:

1. https://rb.gy/ei5xdl

2. https://rb.gy/gehoev

3. https://rb.gy/n1kjxj

4. https://rb.gy/xc5tdq

5. https://bit.ly/3zPC2j0

6. https://rb.gy/uf0k8p

7. https://rb.gy/ei5xdl

8. https://rb.gy/im746m

9. https://rb.gy/97ql2h

10. https://bit.ly/3JrGmZ1

11. https://bit.ly/3vzWSQZ

12. https://mayocl.in/3oHgKhp

13. https://bit.ly/3zMGUWg

14. https://bit.ly/3QcuM6u

15. https://bit.ly/3zOqKfe

16. https://bit.ly/3PNBIa8

17. [17]https://rb.gy/xrtken

18. [18]https://www.organdonor.gov/learn/process/living-donation

19. [19]https://www.donatelife.net/life-and-health-after-living-donation/

20. [4]https://www.americantransplantfoundation.org/about-transplant/living-donation/about-living-donation/

21 https://rb.gy/jyeynp

22 https://rb.gy/nlqbhu

23 https://rb.gy/xfhbzs 

      24 https://notto.gov.in/​