V.P. Singh Badnore, Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh today presided over the Organ Donation Awareness Programme and pledge taking on organ donation organised by Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh.Addressing a huge gathering on the 7th India Organ Donation Day of students of the School, Colleges, Principals of Educational Institutions, medical practitioners, professors and doctors from across the State, the Governor strongly advocated the need to generate awareness amongst the masses to enhance the organ donation rate in our country. He attributed the low organ donation rate in India due to the misconceptions and myth attached to the noble cause.The Governor also said that the organs are donated not necessarily after the death. Even living people can donate organs to their family members or near and dear ones.Owing the statistics, the Governor said that our Country required approximately one lac liver, 2,20,000 kidneys, 10 lac cornea, 50000 heart and approximately 20,000 lung donations to take care of people suffering from these end stage diseases.A massive awareness campaign needs to be initiated and Chandigarh should take a lead to promote organ donation, said the Governor.
In his welcome address, Dr. Atul Sachdev, Director GMCH, said that with the tremendous research work done in the field of transplantation, the success rate now is closed to 90%. He said that it was unfortunate that about the success rate now is closed to 90%. He said that it was unfortunate that about 5 lac people die every year because of non availability of donor organs. He also said that one lakh people in our country require liver transplant but only one thousand get it. As against the need of 2,20,000 renal transplants only 15,000 get it. We need to bridge this huge gap to mitigate the suffering of millions of the patients, he added. Adding further he said that we doctors save lives but in this very humanitarian cause of organ donation one does not have to be a doctor to save lives.Later, the Governor also administered a pledge to donate organ to all those present on the occasion.Dr. Vipin Koushal, Additional Professor PGIMER-cum-Nodal officer ROTTO Centre PGIMER, highlighted a significant point of sensitizing the Chandigarh Police for the organ donation. He said that in accidental or medico legal cases, the NOC is for the organ donation is required from the police.Dr. B.S. Aulakh, a leading urologist from Ludhiana also highlighted the importance of organ donation.Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Mr. Parimal Rai, Adviser to Administrator, Mr. Anurag Aggarwal, Home Secretary and other senior officers of Chandigarh Administration.