India's Organ Donation Day: Fostering Life-Saving Awareness

India's Organ Donation Day, observed annually since 2010, aims to increase awareness about organ donation, dispel misconceptions, motivate people to pledge donation after death, and honor contributions of deceased donors and their families.

Evolution and Significance of Indian Organ Donation Day

Indian Organ Donation Day observed annually since 2010
Initially celebrated on November 27
Shifted to August 3 from 2023 onwards
Commemorates first successful deceased donor heart transplant in India (August 3, 1994)

Aims to:

- Increase awareness about organ donation
- Clear myths and misconceptions
- Motivate people to pledge organ donation after death
- Honor contributions of deceased donors and their families

Organ Donation Month and Legislative Framework

July declared as Organ Donation Month in India
Commemorates enactment of Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994 (July 8, 1994)
National campaign "Angdaan Jan Jagrukta Abhiyaan" organized
Involves various stakeholders from government bodies to NGOs

Act regulates:

- Removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs
- Prevention of commercial dealings in human organs and tissues

Organ Donation Statistics and Challenges in India

India ranks third globally in organ transplants (behind USA and China)
Annual organ transplants increased from 4,990 (2013) to 15,561 (2022)
Organ donation rate quadrupled compared to 2012-13
Current donation rate: 0.65 per million population
Significant gap between organ demand and supply:
- Kidney: 1.5-2 lakh need, only 8,000 receive
- Liver: 80,000 need, only 1,800 receive
- Cornea: 1 lakh need, less than half receive
- Heart: 10,000 need, only 200 receive
Only 3% of Indians registered as organ donors
COVID-19 pandemic caused decline in organ donations

Organ Donation Network and Global Context

World Organ Donation Day observed on August 13 globally
Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT) maintains worldwide database
Provides comprehensive data on donation, transplantation, legal and organizational aspects

Three-tier network in India:

- National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO)
- Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO)
- State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO)

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