Body donation sees a rise in Davangere

DAVANGERE: Even as medical colleges are facing a scarcity of cadavers for the purpose of dissection, people of Davangere are pledging their bodies for donation. According to the Lions Club, the number of people who voluntarily registered for donation has doubled this year compared to last year.

T M Panchaksharaiah, Lions Club district coordinator of voluntary body donation, told TNIE that in 2016-17, around 300 people registered and that number has doubled in 2018.  In the last three years, the club has received 70 bodies which were given to medical colleges.

“People are becoming aware of the merits of body donation. A few years ago, people thought body donation is wrong because they thought the soul may not attain ‘mukti’ if the body is donated. But today people are becoming practical,” Panchaksharaiah said.  He said awareness programmes have paved the way for the increase in rate of registration. “Instead of burying or burning, people can donate the bodies, which will help medical students,” he added.

Dr Mahantesh Ramannavar, anatomy professor of BM Kankanwadi Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya of KLE University in Belagavi, who dissected the body of his own father for anatomy students, said doctors have to follow some rules while accepting the body. They will accept the body only if the cause of death is natural and they will check the death certificate to prevent medico-legal cases, he added.