The Hindu : Awareness on organ donation emphasised

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 02, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Awareness on organ donation emphasised

By Our Staff Reporter

NELLORE, FEB. 1. Noted surgical gastroenterologist and managing director, Global Hospitals, Hyderabad, K. Ravindranath, has pleaded for proper awareness and education among public with regard to organ donation.

He said here on Sunday, that the organs of a deceased person could save nearly nine to ten human lives. Thus, in the event of a death of a person, the body should be allowed to be used to save lives of other people who are badly in need of emergency support.

Awareness has to be created on donating organs, besides educating the public, he pointed.

Dr. Ravindranath expressed satisfaction that there has been considerable awareness among public with regard to eye donation and the message of organ donation also should reach that level. Referring to gastro system and diseases, he pointed that the digestive system was rather the much-abused system in the body. However lot of advances have come in this filed too.

Emphasis should be on preventive aspects, he pointed.

Dr. Ravindranath, who popularised liver transplantation system in India, referred to Hepatitis-B and Hepatitis-C diseases, which have affected nearly 6 crore people in the country. This he pointed was more dangerous than AIDS.

He disclosed that while vaccination for Hepatitis-B was available, for Hepatitis-C, there is no vaccination and also no immediate chances of such a possibility. The society can play a major role, by educating people about the adverse affects of the disease, he suggested and pointed that out of the 6 crores suffering from the Hepatitis, at least 30 per cent might be prone to liver damage, for which there are no full-fledged facilities in the country. As it is highly expensive, he suggested regular check up. He expressed concern that with increased consumption of alcohol, there is a possibility of one out of ten persons getting liver problems.

Dr. Ravindranath, pointed that liver cancer could be detected early, if one experiences symptoms like loss of weight, lack of appetite and so on. Regarding cancer of intestine, he pointed that there has been a phenomenal advance in detection by going in for endoscopy, colonoscopy and capsule endoscopy.

For the cure diabetes, `Islet transplantation' is on the cards, which would be a boon for the patients, he said.

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Andhra Pradesh