Question : Non-Availability of Organs

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

(a) whether nearly five lakh people die because of non-availability of organs and almost ten lakh people suffer from corneal blindness and await transplant in the country every year;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken or proposed to be taken to increase the organ donation in the country;

(c) the details of the Government hospitals where surgical facilities for organ transplant procedure/retrieval operation are available in various parts of the country;

(d) whether there is any mismatch between demand and supply of various organ and tissue transplantations due to lack of awareness and enabling policies; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) & (b): Health is a State subject. The data regarding number of people who die because of non-availability of organs is not maintained centrally. As per the estimates of the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) Survey (2006-07) conducted under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB & VI), there were around 1,20,000 bilaterally corneal blind persons in the country. Apart from this, about 20,000 new cases of corneal blindness are added up every year.

The Government is implementing the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) to promote organ donation across the country. An apex level organization viz. National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) has been set-up at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi for national networking, national registry, and distribution of donated Organs & Tissues from deceased persons. In addition, a National Biomaterial Centre has also been established at NOTTO and made functional. Five other Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (ROTTOs) have also been set up under NOTP.



The Government of India has taken a series of measures to promote cadaver organ donation. The website of the NOTTO, viz. www.notto.nic.in contains information pertinent to the activities relating to organ donation. A 24x7 call centre with a toll free helpline number (1800114770) has been set up. Further, a number of activities are carried out throughout the year for generating awareness about cadaver organ donation and for imparting training to all those associated with transplant activities including doctors and transplant coordinators. Activities such as celebration of Indian organ donation day every year, seminars, workshops, debates, sports events, walkathons, participation in marathons, nukkad natak, etc. are also organized at different places in the country to disseminate information and increase awareness. Audio-visual messages to promote cadaver organ donation are also telecast on Doordarshan and other Television channels.

Further, NOTP has provisions for establishment of State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisations (SOTTO) in every State/UT, establishment of 10 Biomaterial Centres, financial assistance for developing new and strengthening the existing retrieval and transplant units in Government medical colleges of all States /UTs and support to retrieval (Non- Transplant Organ Retrieval Centres) /Transplant Centres for maintenance of cadavers.

(c): As per data available with NOTTO the list of registered transplant/retrieval Government hospitals is at Annexure.

(d) & (e): Yes. There is mismatch between demand and supply of various organs and tissues for transplantation. The main reasons for mismatch are:
1. Poor Organ Donation Rate from deceased donors.
2. Poor Brain Stem Death Certification rate in registered hospitals.