Organ donation: Huge gap between demand & supply, says govt

There is a huge gap between the demand and supply of human organs like liver, kidney and heart for transplantation, the government today said while pointing to steps that have been taken to make organ donation easier.
Against an average annual demand for 2,00,000, 30,000 and 50,000 kidneys, livers and hearts for transplantation, respectively, only 6,000, 1,500 and 15 are available, Health Minister JP Nadda told Lok Sabha in a written reply.
He said steps have been taken to make organ donation easier, including through provision of updated information to the general public on the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation's website, a 24x7 toll free helpline and the National Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant Registry.

"Financial assistance has also been sanctioned for establishing four regional-level bodies -- Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation -- in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Assam and UT of Chandigarh," he said, adding that these centres would impart training to transplant coordinators.
Hospitals have been advised to display boards on their premises reminding that the law requires the doctor on duty/ transplant coordinator/counsellor to ask the family members of a brain dead person about organ donation.
"Financial assistance is also being provided under the National Organ Transplant Programme for hiring transplant coordinators in hospitals and trauma centres," Nadda said.
The government has also involved religious leaders and non-governmental organisations for generating awareness about organ donation, he said.