New Delhi:“Organ donation needs to become a way of life for us so that we can give a new lease of life to those suffering from organ failure,” said L. S. Changsan, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as she inaugurated the Chintan Shivir on reforms needed for organ and tissue donation and transplantation in India. The event, held today, brought together key officials and experts to discuss advancements in technology, processes, and legislation related to organ donation.
In her address, Changsan emphasized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for greater organ donation awareness, noting that one organ donor can save up to eight lives. She highlighted the importance of promoting deceased organ donations to meet the country’s growing demand and praised the government’s “One Nation, One Policy” initiative, which seeks to streamline organ donation and transplantation across states.
The government’s “Angdaan Jan Jagrukta Abhiyaan” campaign is actively raising awareness nationwide, with efforts focused on improving infrastructure and training for organ transplants, particularly in government institutions.
Prof. (Dr.) Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services, reiterated the critical role played by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) in advancing organ transplants in India. He called for encouraging more deceased organ donations and underscored India’s tradition of altruism. The Chintan Shivir, he said, offers a unique opportunity to evaluate and strengthen existing systems.
The two-day event will address key issues such as legislative reforms, technological advancements, transparency, and accessibility in organ transplantation. Participants include representatives from state governments, NGOs, transplant societies, and experts from both government and private institutions.
India’s National Organ Transplant Program promotes deceased organ donation to increase the availability of organs for patients suffering from end-stage organ failure. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), headquartered at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, manages a nationwide network of hospitals and tissue banks for organ retrieval and transplantation. A user-friendly web portal, www.notto.abdm.gov.in, launched in 2023, facilitates donor registration and connects patients to organ donors.
The country is also expanding its infrastructure through Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTOs), with five centers already operational, and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (SOTTOs) in 21 states.