To curb illegal trade, the health ministry tell states to plug gaps in compiling data on organ donors

To curb illegal trade, the health ministry tell states to plug gaps in compiling data on organ donors

Subject: Science and tech

Section: Health

Why in the news? Union health minister expressed concern over some states not compiling data on living and deceased donors which are essential to monitor the implementation of organ transplantation programs and prevent commercial exploitation of organs

Ministry of Health Advisory:

• All registered or licenced transplant hospitals to get linked with the NOTTO web portal
• Every transplanting hospital needed to register patient requiring transplants in demography format as in the NOTTO portal and update their status
• Data need to be updated regular basis and monthly offline reports of deceased and living donors are required to be provided to NOTTO
• State-appropriate authority given civil court power to ensure compliance with the provision of data

Organ Donation Architecture of India:

• Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue Act (THOTA) 1994 which establishes the National Organs and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)
• NOTTO is an apex organization to provides an efficient and organized system of organ procurement, and distribution and maintains the national registry of donors and recipients of organs and tissue
• Hospitals carrying out organs and tissue transplantation, retrieval or tissue banking were required to link NOTTO and provide all data to for national registry

Data of organ donation:

• A total of 16,0041 organs were transplanted in 2022
• mostly Kidney and liver harvest
• Delhi topped the list with 3828 organ transplantations

Way forward:

• Every transplant hospital needs to promote deceased organ donation to achieve a minimum number of donations annually
• Deceased organ donation program to encourage organ donation from deceased individuals
• Taking help of religious leader to remove misconception of organ donation and promoting compassion aspects of organ donation