On the occasion of World Organ Donation Day, the government today said it is committed to provide appropriate facilities and legal framework to promote organ donation in the country.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda said the government, community, health workers and civil society need to work together to promote organ donation.
"Our government stands committed to provide appropriate facilities and updated legal framework to promote organ donation. The government, community, health workers and civil society need to work together to promote organ donation," the minister said in a series of tweets.
He said after natural (cardiac) death, a few organs or tissues like cornea, bone, skin and blood vessels can be donated, while almost 37 different organs and tissues can be donated after brain stem death.
"A brain stem dead donor can save up to nine lives and improve the quality of life of many others," Nadda said.
According to the Health Ministry, despite brain stem death recognised legally since 1994, the organ donation rate in the country is poor.
Less than one person (about 0.2) per million population donates organs in India, while 35 to 36 persons per million population donate organs per million population in Spain, the ministry said.
According to media reports, Nadda had recently said that the government would take steps within a week to develop a policy mechanism and address the institutional gaps while calling for making organ donation a mass movement.
The Organ Donation Day is observed to motivate people to donate their organs as well as to understand the value of organ donation in the life of an individual.
