Sikkim Governor Advocates For Organ Donation; Stresses On Raising Awareness To Reduce Donor Shortages 

Posted in Featured, Northeast, Sikkim

 

  • NET Web Desk

The Sikkim Governor – Ganga Prasad firmly advocates for organ donation and has vowed to donate his own organs, highlighting the critical need to raise public awareness about organ donation and transplantation in order to reduce the donor shortages.

Addressing the Symposia & Awareness Campaign on ‘Vistas of Organ Donation in India & Avenues for Sikkim’ at the auditorium of the SMIMS complex in 5th Mile today; the Sikkim Governor highlighted the role of mass media combined with educational interventions for increasing organ-donor registration and encouraging people to register their organ-donation decision.

“One deceased organ donor may save up to eight lives and provide life-enhancing opportunity to those who are at the end of the line for hope,” he added.

Considering the importance of eye banking services, the Governor assured full support in setting up an eye bank facility in the state; and added that the State government would provide active assistance to the future endeavours of the hospitals in Sikkim.

He further urged the students to seek knowledge and build their own bright future and encouraged the teaching faculty to support and guide their students in achieving success in every domain.

In the keynote address on ‘Organ Donation in India and Roadmap for Sikkim’, the Head of Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST) & Emeritus Transplant Gastroenterologist – Dr. Avnish K. Seth, said that as per the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT), India ranks third in the world in organ transplantation, only behind USA and China.

“However, there still is a significant amount of work to do in order to strike a balance between the number of patients requiring transplantation and the number of people who agree to donate their organs after death,” he added.

Emphasizing on the need for high level of organ donation awareness at grassroots level, Dr. Seth laid out a roadmap for the State of Sikkim that encompassed the adoption of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act 2011 in letter and spirit.

He suggested establishing State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) at SMIMS while creating an Advisory Group on all matters related to organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

“Dr. Seth also suggested creating an Appropriate Authority (AA) for all matters related to organ donation and transplantation. Till then Health Secretary could be the AA,” he added.

Initiating cornea donation protocol for all deaths in hospitals and starting Kidney Transplant programme aligned with the vision of PM Narendra Modi to have at least one kidney transplant hospital in each State were also among few of the recommendations proposed by Dr. Seth in his roadmap for Sikkim.

He also suggested creating facilities like pledge kiosks at SMIMS for pledging to donate organs/tissues and inclusion of organ donation awareness in school curriculum and colleges for extensive awareness.

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