Prominent names like Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jones, Kapil Dev, and Amitabh Bachchan have something in common: they have pledged their organs. Organ donation involves retrieving an organ from a donor and transferring it into another person’s body (recipient), following the approval of the donor or their family and the authorization of a doctor.
Every donor can save around eight lives and can help another 75 more. But organ donation is more than just numbers. It is about giving someone a second chance to relive when all hope is lost. With no bar for age, caste and race, the only barrier that stands in between saving a person’s life is their consent.
According to the National Library of Medicine, social values, death taboos, ignorance and procrastination are the major issues that can influence the act of organ donation. Every day, 17 individuals lose their lives waiting for an organ transplant.
A common misconception most people in India have is that they can donate their organs after they die. In fact, the person’s organs can only be donated if they are declared brain dead by doctors. Organ donation is challenging if a person passes away due to cardiac arrest.
Laws supporting organ donation
Some laws could benefit from a little inclusivity and a proper framework. The living donors are usually immediate family members, relatives or close friends. However, suppose the living donor is not a relative. In that case, they need approval from the State Authorization Committee to donate to avoid a gamut of legal issues, which may be a deterrent for many. Furthermore, only the family of the person who has passed away can decide if they want the organs to be donated or not. Even if the deceased person has pledged their organs, the organs cannot be donated without the family’s consent.
Most of the family members haven’t heard of or spoken about organ donation before. Some are not aware of the deceased person’s wish or their will, while others don’t understand the meaning of brain death. There are even a few who resist organ donation out of fear of the loss of body integrity of their loved one and due to religious beliefs.
So, how does one overcome these challenges?
The act of giving starts with the person. They need to be convinced. The first step towards that would be to get the correct information from the right sources and decide if they want to pledge their organs. Then, registering to pledge organs is an easy procedure. It means that the person has shown intent to donate their organs. A pledge form can be filled out on www.organindia.org and the site will send a donor card with a unique government registration number. It is then registered at the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)
Convincing the family may not be easy. However, honest discussions about the person’s wishes, values, beliefs, and urge to help, along with information about how the donation will benefit many people and how the body’s integrity will be preserved, are important. Sometimes, family members need assurance that their loved one will be handled with utmost respect, care and dignity after death.
More than 46,000 transplants were done in 2023. Let’s make 2024 more loving and giving.
-Content partner Happiest Health
