Question : NOTTO

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether consequent upon the 2011 amendment of the transplantation of Human Organ Act, 1994 mandating setting up of a national level organisation for national organs and tissues removal and storage network and national Registry, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation has been set up and if so, the details thereof;

(b) if so, whether the Director, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) have no similar power like Director, AIIMs, New Delhi, PGI, Chandigarh and Jaipur and if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the awareness about deceased organ donation is low in the country particularly in the north & east and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the number of IEC consultants sanctioned by the Government during the last two years and the current year in each such organisation; and

(e) the steps being taken by the Government to empower NOTTO in the country particularly in Safdurjang Hospital, New Delhi?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) & (b): Section 13 (C) of Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994 provides for establishment of National Human Organs and Tissues Removal and Storage Network to be notified by the Central Government. The same has been notified in the Gazette of India vide S.O.1956(E), EXTRAORDINARY, PART II, Section-3, Sub-section (ii) dated June 13, 2019. Under National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP), National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has been set up as an apex level organisation under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for carrying out function of National Human Organs and Tissues Removal and Storage Network. NOTTO is a subordinate organisation under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Director, NOTTO has been declared as Head of Office for NOTTO.

(c): No such report has been received in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding comparative awareness levels.

(d): Under National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) one post of IEC consultant has been sanctioned for National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTO) and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) each. Funds have been released to NOTTO, five ROTTOs and eleven SOTTOs for this purpose.

(e): Director General of Health Services has been declared as Head of Department and Director, NOTTO has been declared as Head of office along with financial powers for empowering NOTTO.