The Hindu : New Delhi News : New IMA campaign to focus on organ donation

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Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008
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New IMA campaign to focus on organ donation

Staff Reporter

Asks Centre to make Transplantation of Human Organ Act more donor and recipient-friendly

NEW DELHI: The Indian Medical Association is going to launch a nationwide awareness programme about organ donation and has asked the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry to take an urgent fresh look at the Transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994, to make it more donor and recipient-friendly.

“At present spouse, parents, brothers and sisters can donate their organs and only in special circumstances other close relatives can do so. The IMA has recommended that a more liberal approach is required so that more willing members may be able to donate their organs,” said IMA secretary-general S. N. Misra on Tuesday.

“Needy should benefit”

Stating that organ transplants should become easier and more needy people should benefit from it, the Association maintains that there should, however, be no commercialisation of organs for transplantation.

“The IMA is concerned and dismayed by the recent news of illegal trade practices in kidney transplants. Doctors who indulge in illegal practices should be punished accordingly to the law. The medical profession is a noble profession and is based on trust and faith of society so it is important that any allegation against a doctor before coming in public should be thoroughly investigated by a competent authority,” said IMA media co-ordinator Narender Saini.

The Association has also constituted a three-member fact-finding committee to look into the recently unearthed organ donation scandal in Gurgaon and other places.

“We will investigate the scandal and come out with recommendations to ensure that incidents of this nature do not happen again. In our country nearly 2 lakh patients get end-stage kidney failure and of these nearly 60 per cent to 70 per cent patients need kidney transplant. At present only 4,000 patients are able to get this transplant and the reason may be because there are no organs available because of incompatibility or no relatives coming forward for donation. This needs to change and our laws need to be more patient-friendly,” said IMA president M. Abbas.

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