Gurjinder Kour
Organ donation is when a person allows an organ of theirs to be removed, legally, either by consent while the donor is alive or after death with the assent of the next of kin.
Donation may be for research, or, more commonly healthy transplantable organs and tissues may be donated to be transplanted into another person. Person to restore health or reduce disability .. This concept gave new hope and new life to ailing patients. Following that, doctors discovered how to transplant other organs successfully, hence improving quality of life, and reducing morbidity and mortality . Today, most organ transplants are relatively safe procedures, no longer considered as experiments, but considered as treatment options for thousands of patients with medical indications, such as those suffering from renal failure, heart disease, respiratory disease and cirrhosis of the liver .
Organ donation is the action of the voluntary donation of the human organ or tissue to the patient who requires this organ as his life depends on it. Organ donation is divided into two types: the donation is conducted by the alive volunteer and the dead volunteer. The person who is going to die can write a message and donate his organs to the people who require them more. The action of organ donation is extremely courageous and noble. Due to the development of science and the sphere of health care people received the chance to borrow organs from other people and support their life with their help. The procedure of donation is quite dangerous, because very often the organism does not want to tolerate the new organ of a different person and the patient has to look for another donor. If the operation is successful, the patient receives a healthy organ and can survive. The most widespread donation is the blood donation.
Organ donation is the important action which is able to save many human lives and improve the quality of life of the patients who require constant attention and support of physicists.
The need for organ has gone up substantially all over the world. India too suffers from acute organ shortage with little to no solution for this issue.
Reasons for shortage of Organ donors in India
* Ignorance and lack of knowledge
* People are not informed enough about the benefits of organ donation. Today we are blessed with social media and so many other forums where we can promote the positives of organ donation and how it will save so many lives if more people register themselves for organ donation.
Myth and Superstition
Many people do not want to donate their organs even after death because of so many myths and superstition they are instilled with. People with existing medical condition or old people who wish to donate, do not donate thinking they won’t be eligible. Almost everyone can donate some part or the other unless you have any extreme medical condition.
One of the reasons for the donor shortage in this country is the many myths and misconceptions clouding the issue, particularly among those who have not personally encountered transplant recipients or family members of donors. Rumours, myths and misunderstandings about organ donation and transplantation are widespread. A recent survey conducted by a national newspaper showed that 28 % of a total of 641 urban respondents believed that organ donors will not receive any life saving treatment while 18% believed that their body will be mutilated .
These misconceptions deter people from becoming donors. Many lives can be saved by organ transplants, but there is a severe shortage of donors. It is important to explore all the avenues and remove the stumbling blocks so that prospective donors feel at ease when making a decision to pledge.
Myths and Reality
Myth: Organ donation is not necessary in india
Reality: Unofficial statistics from India indicate that there are nearly 300 deaths every day due to organ failure. That is more than one lakh deaths per year.
Myth: My religion discourages organ donation
Reality: There are 22 major religions in the world, none of which discourages organ donation. Being a very noble act by which one human can provide life to another most religions support organ donation. In fact we find deceased donors from all religions. Most major religions in India support organ donation and consider donation as the final act of love and generosity toward others.
Myth: I’m too old to donate. Nobody would want my organs.
Reality: There’s no defined cut off age for donating organs. Organs have been successfully transplanted from donors in their 70s and 80s. The decision to use your organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age.
Myth: When you’re waiting for a transplant, you’re financial or celebrity status is as important as your medical status.
Reality: When you are on the transplant waiting list for an organ, what really counts is the severity of your illness, time spent waiting, blood type, and other important medical information. Your income and social status have no bearing when determining how organs are allocated. All patients are equal in an organ waiting list.
Myth: If you agree to donate your organs, your family will be charged for the costs of retrieval.
Reality: There is no cost to the donor’s family for organ and tissue donation. Funeral costs remain the responsibility of the family.
Myth: I am an organ recipient I cannot be a donor.
Reality: Organ recipients may not be tissue donors due to the immunosuppressive drugs that are administered. However, the medical team determines whether a healthy organ can be retrieved.
Myth: Organ/tissue removal will disfigure the body and affect cremation/burial arrangements.
Reality: The removal of organs or tissues will not interfere with customary funeral or burial arrangements. The appearance of the body is not altered. A highly skilled surgical transplant team removes the organs and tissues which can be transplanted in other patients. Surgeons suture up the body carefully, hence no outward disfigurement is visible. A scar is present after the organs are removed. In fact in a medico-legal case even a post-mortem would leave behind a similar scar.
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