Act To Save Lives! Manipal Hospital Launches Organ Donation Initiative, Invites People To Register

Organ donation is considered a noble cause that passes on life to thousands of others who struggle with organ failures.

The Human Care Medical Charitable Trust (HCMCT) Manipal Hospital Dwarka took a positive step toward spreading the message on the importance of organ donations and launched the Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant (MOST) initiative to bring in more people to the noble act of organ donations.

Need Of The Hour

India records over 4,00,000 people every year who require transplants due to end-state organ failures. A good proportion of them recieve due care as well, as India's healthcare continues to conduct globally the third largest number of transplants, there's very limited awareness that exists among the people on the subject.

Among the many things that remain unacknowledged about organ donations is that one individual can save up to 8 lives by donating their heart, lungs, kidneys, small intestine, and pancreas after a case of brain death.

Especially in cases of brain deaths, which occurs among patients who would have suffered a head injury or stroke. In such cases, the brain stops functioning, but the heart continues to keep the organs alive for a considerable while. This time span can be utilised effectively to transfer life to someone who might be in need. On the other hand, tissues such as the eyes, skin bones and heart valves can be donated for as long as 6 to 8 hours after the individual's death.

Through the Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant 'MOST' initiative launched under Human Care Medical Charitable Trust (HCMCT) of Manipal Hospital Dwarka, those who are willing to donate can directly register themselves for organ donation at National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) through the hospital's website. NOTTO is the national-level organization set up by the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health in India. Accommodating the directory feature on the hospital's official website makes it easier for interested people to clarify their concerns and register on an authentic platform.

In accordance with the same, the hospital has also opened a new department that has provisions of support and counselling made available for the families of potential donors with brain death and would encourage them to view organ donation from a noble, altruistic sense.

Importance Of Organ Donation

Dr Deepa Malik, the country's first woman paralympic medalist and Dr Rajneesh Sahai, Director of NOTTO, were special guests during the launch of the initiative and did their bit to convey the importance of the act.

Deepa Malik urged people to join with her in the noble cause by saying that organ donation helps an individual remain a part of this world even when they are no longer around.

While talking about how it gives a new ray of hope to another life, she added that people could confidently step into organ donations with the remarkable advancements in the Indian Medical field.

She also spoke in length on how the requirement for organ transplants has drastically risen and fewer people step forward for it due to limited knowledge of organ donations. Inspiring many others to join her in the cause, Deepa Malik, along with 700 employees from the Manipal hospitals based in NCR, pledged to donate their organs and eyes.

Dr. (Colonel) Avnish Seth, VSM, Head - Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Manipal Organ Sharing & Transplant, HCMCT Manipal Hospitals, conveyed his medical point of view on the subject. He said, "The country has in-depth experience and wide-ranging expertise in the world to perform living donor kidney and liver transplantation. However, the need of the hour is to donate organs and tissues when we are no longer in this world."

He believes that Indians are altruistic by nature, and such an initiative from the Manipal Hospitals would nudge more and more people to act upon it.

Adding on to this, Raman Bhaskar, Hospital Director of HCMCT Manipal Hospitals, said "Manipal Hospitals has always been on the forefront of taking initiative for the better health of people. #TheMostNobelAct is our initiative to increase awareness on organ donation".

He also requested the families of brain-dead patients to understand the need of the hour and take part in the noble cause of gifting a life to those in need. Such a move impacts not only the life of the patient but also the families, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who love and support those in need of an organ transplant.

Initiative To Reach Millions Through Manipal Hospitals

Manipal Hospitals, a pioneer in healthcare facilities, are India's second-largest multi-speciality healthcare provider. They treat over four million patients annually and have understood the patients' and families' requirements in-depth. With the launch of this initiative, they move towards creating a space of awareness which could save millions of lives.

The Manipal group of hospitals recently acquired a 100% stake in Columbia Asia Hospitals in India, and with this they would establish a pan-India footprint. They would have 28 hospitals spread across 14 cities and a reputed bunch of staff available to provide high-quality and affordable healthcare services to people. As a part of their expansion, they have inculcated this new mission of introducing more people to the MOST initiative and drive in more organ donation registrations on a national level.

Also Read: ORGAN India Envisions An Ecosystem To Enable Organ Transplants And Save Lives