Harsh Vardhan emphasizes on creating awareness about organ donation

Union Minister for Health Dr.Harsh Vardhan on Monday the awareness of organ donation as the need of the hour, adding that a centralized system will soon take shape, which will enable every citizen of the country to have access to the developments taking place for organ donation.

Harsh Vardhan said, "The organs that can be donated are kidneys, liver, heart and corneas and by transplanting all these organs a person can really help those who are in dire need of any of these organs. This issue is very serious. Awareness needs to be created regarding this".

"The National Organ Tissue Transplantation Organization is coming up with a centralized system, which will be activated in a few months time. This will be linked to all the hospitals and all the activities being done across the country. For the recipient and the donors of the country, there will be the best possible co-ordination. My department is working aggressively for it," he added.

Harsh Vardhan also said that the government is working on functioning on leave, where doctors would be asked to address a crisis whenever they are on a vacation or on leave.

The new protocol is already functioning in 26 CGHS dispensaries.

This, he said, will bring down the maternal mortality rate to a great extent.

A central body called the National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organization (NOTTO) has been set up to maintain such data and oversee the transplantation programme across the country.