Thousands of deaths can be averted each year provided the victims receive suitable organs in time to replace the damaged ones. But unfortunately, organ donation awareness is abysmally low in India and not many come forward to donate their organs in death. To mark the World Organ Donation Day 2021, Gleneagles Global Hospitals, one of the leading multispecialty healthcare institutions, in association with the Hyderabad City Police today organized a session to enhance awareness on organ donation.
The hospital also recognized the efforts of the Hyderabad City Police (both law & order and traffic departments) for their cooperation in transferring organs for transplantation. And as recognition for their contribution in saving the lives of people, the Gleneagles Global Hospitals today felicitated Mr. Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of Police, on behalf of the Hyderabad City Police for their commendable work in transferring organs to conduct timely transplant surgeries. Also felicitated were Mr. D S Chauhan, Additional Commissioner (Law & Order) , Mr. Anil Kumar, Additional Commissioner (Traffic) and Mr L S Chauhan (Deputy Commissioner)
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City Police said, “For people suffering with serious illness, organ transplantation is the only hope! Donating organs in death will not help save others’ lives but will help you continue to live in those who receive the organs. The significant shortage of organs means millions of people continue to live life in pain, and at times counting their days to end. This pain can be halted by people who pledge to donate their organs in death.”
“Time is the most crucial element in organ transplantation, and the Hyderabad City Police has time and again played a vital role in enabling transfer of organs from donor to the recipient in time. Unless we receive this support from the police personnel on duty, it would be difficult to transfer the organ and transplant it into the recipient in time. Today, on the World Organ Donation Day, we take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the Police department for their support,” added Mr. Gaurav Khurana, CEO, Gleneagles Global Hospitals – Lakdikapul.
India has only 3% registered organ donors, and this is very low in comparison to Europe and United States of America. According to available data, about 1.5-2 lakh people require kidney transplants annually but only about 8,000 (4 per cent) patients receive them. Similarly, almost 80,000 patients require liver transplants every year but only 1,800 of these transplants are performed. About 1 lakh patients require corneal or eye transplants annually but less than half manage to get them. Even for cardiac patients, of the 10,000 who require heart transplants, only about 200 of them match with viable donors. A major reason for this shortage is the lack of awareness among people about the process of donation, which needs to be corrected.