Latest news with #JeevaSarthakathe
India Today
3 days ago
- Health
- India Today
One organ donor can save 8 lives, yet 5 lakh people await transplants yearly
Organ donation can be considered the purest form of service to mankind and the highest form of evolution a species can go through to prolong the life of fellow brain injury refers to brain damage that can result from road traffic accidents, massive brain haemorrhage, hypoxia ischemic encephalopathy, or diffuse axonal injury. During a brain death, there is a window of time within which the viable vitals organs can be harvested from a donor's body, with full consent from their family. The most commonly retrieved organs include the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and the small intestine, along with other parts such as the cornea, skin and hands. advertisementUNDERSTANDING BRAIN DEATHBrain death refers to a condition where most vitals organs are functioning, but the brain is dead and unrecoverable. A team of health care professionals conducts tests such as the apnea test, brain stem reflexes and sometimes cerebral angiography to declare brain death. Once the brain is declared dead, continued care at the hospital is often considered futile. However, before withdrawing ventilator support, the patient's family is given some time to decide whether they are willing to donate the patient's organs. Organ donation is a righteous act as one patient's organs alone can fuel life into more than seven people. Unfortunately, the decision to donate falls on family members during the darkest and lowest phase of their lives, when they are grappling with the loss of a loved Karnataka, organ allocation is carried out by a government body named Jeeva Sarthakathe, which oversees the allocation of organs to recipients after receiving consent from the patient's family. Unfortunately, in India, despite receiving more than 2 lakh registrations for organ donation annually, only about 18,000 organ transplants actually take place each the immense difference that organ donation can make in an individual's life, it is crucial for every Indian to recognise of the importance of this selfless act and take part in spreading awareness. By being a donor, one can cross religious, political, and economic boundaries and stand true to the saying: "One body, Many lives".WHO / GLOBAL OBSERVATORY ON DONATION AND TRANSPLANTATION (GODT)The GODT compiles global, regional, and country-level data on organ donation and transplantation in its most recent summaries (2022–2023 data):Over 146,000 solid organ transplants were performed globally in 2022 — an 8.7% increase compared to 2021, yet only a fraction of the global transplants make up the majority (~65%), followed by liver (~22%), heart (~8%), and lung (~4%).Living donor transplants represent ~39% of kidney transplants and ~20% of liver transplants rates vary widely: Spain, the U.S., and some EU countries report over 40 deceased donors per million population (pmp), while many countries in Asia and Africa report <5 pmp.(Source: WHO & GODT)Inputs by Dr Lohit Shetty Raju, Consultant - HPB and Liver Transplantation Surgery, Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Minister announces lab for organ donation at Wenlock
Mangaluru: Minister for health and family welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao said that a satellite laboratory for complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) crossmatch during organ transplantation to assess the compatibility between a donor and recipient will be established at Government Wenlock District Hospital, with support from Bangalore Medical Services Trust (BMST). He was speaking at the Indian Organ Donation Day programme, organised by the health and family welfare department, in association with Dakshina Kannada district administration, zilla panchayat, and Yenepoya Medical College, on Friday. The minister said that blood samples are currently being sent to Bengaluru for CDC crossmatching during organ transplantation. Similar labs will also be set up in Mysuru and Shivamogga, he said. Emphasising the need to dispel misconceptions about organ donation and to encourage more people to come forward, the minister said that organ donation can save many lives as a brain-dead person can donate up to eight organs. "Families choose to donate the organs of their loved ones even during moments of immense grief. Such decisions are highly commendable, as it gives a new lease of life to others," he said. The minister lamented that even when the demand for organs is rising, the availability remains limited. In Karnataka, 4,582 people are awaiting kidney transplants, 583 are registered for liver transplants, 133 for heart transplants, and 31 for lung transplants, he said. In 2024, 162 donors contributed 457 organs in the state. In 2025, up to July, 121 donors donated 326 organs. Karnataka ranks second in the country for organ donation, the minister said and announced that Karnataka will receive the 'Best State in Promoting Organ Donation Excellence Award' from the govt of India on Saturday. The Jeeva Sarthakathe coordinator from Hubballi-Dharwad will receive the 'Best Coordinator Award'. The govt has decided to give priority to donors' families if they require organ transplants in the future. All district govt hospitals will be strengthened to facilitate the retrieval of organs from brain-dead patients, he said. State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) – Jeevan Sarthakathe state coordinator Dr Ravishankar Shetty K noted that India witnesses 1.5 lakh accidental deaths annually, yet only about 550 organ transplants are performed. DHO Dr HR Thimmaiah, Dr Mallika B, divisional deputy director department of health and family welfare, Wenlock Hospital superintendent Dr Shivaprakash DS, Lady Goschen Hospital superintendent Dr Durgaprasad MR, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) pro chancellor Dr BH Sripathi Rao, and others were present.
