IMA launches campaign, to send text alerts to its members for

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has launched a country wide campaign "Puchna Mat Bhulo" as a part of which it will urge doctors to request relatives or legal heirs, in case of routine death, for donation of eyes and organs (in case of brain death).
As a part of the initiative, IMA members will be sent text alerts reminding them to ask families to donate organs of their deceased loved ones to promote organ donation in the country.
According to government data, 200,000 people are wait-listed for kidneys in India and 30,000 currently await a liver. Legal donations meet about 3 to 5 per cent of the demand.

"The mandatory or required request for donation of organs of patients dying in hospitals will help increase the rate of organ harvest. Also, doctors posted in the intensive care units (ICUs) need to be made aware about the various aspects of organ donation since these places are potential centres for organ retrieval.
"Doctors should counsel the families and encourage them to donate the organs after a death," IMA president Dr KK Aggarwal said.
"Increase in Cadaver organ donations will help check human trafficking for organs," he added.
In the first phase, IMA will target around 3,00,000 doctors.
In the present scenario, the number of patients who need organ transplants exceed the number of organs donated and there is a need to promote organ donation. According to government data, there is a waiting list of 2,00,000 people for kidney transplants and 30,000 people for liver.