Patna: The State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO), Bihar, organised an awareness programme at the outpatient department (OPD) complex of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) on Indian Organ Donation Day to promote voluntary organ donation and address misconceptions associated with it.
The programme aimed to raise public awareness about the importance of organ donation and encourage eligible individuals to pledge to donate their organs.
Call for Voluntary Organ Donation
The event began with a welcome address by Prof. (Dr.) Manish Mandal, Chairperson of SOTTO Bihar. He said there is often a contradiction between people’s willingness to receive an organ when needed and their hesitation to donate one.
“We must encourage a spirit of voluntary organ donation in society so that more people come forward to donate,” he said, urging the public to adopt a positive approach towards the initiative.
Experts Highlight Growing Demand
Prof. (Dr.) Om Kumar, Dean (Academic) at IGIMS, said the number of patients requiring organ transplants in India continues to increase while the availability of donor organs remains critically low.
He stressed that greater public awareness is essential to reduce the gap between the demand for organs and their availability.
Focus on Eye, Kidney and Organ Transplants
Dr. Nilesh Mohan, In-charge of the Eye Bank, Bihar, explained the process and significance of corneal donation and transplantation. He said eye donation has the potential to restore vision to people with corneal blindness.
Dr. Rohit Upadhyay, Head of the Department of Urology at IGIMS, spoke about the current status of organ transplantation in India, available facilities and future prospects. He said timely organ donation could save the lives of many critically ill patients.
Dr. Prem Shankar Patel from the Department of Nephrology at IGIMS discussed kidney donation and transplantation, explaining the importance of both living and deceased organ donation in meeting the growing need for transplants.
Awareness on Myths and Organ Donation Pledge
Ekta, IEC Consultant at SOTTO Bihar, delivered a presentation highlighting the gap between the demand for and availability of organs in India. She addressed common myths surrounding organ donation using scientific evidence and informed participants that individuals aged 18 years and above can pledge to donate their organs.
Interactive Session Concludes Programme
The programme concluded with an interactive quiz on organ donation followed by a question-and-answer session, in which doctors, patients and their family members participated.
The organisers ended the event with a vote of thanks. Speakers collectively appealed to the public to discuss organ donation with their families, adopt a positive attitude towards the cause and encourage more people to take the organ donation pledge.
