The Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) is annually celebrated across India on 3rd August to commemorate the 1st successful deceased donor organ transplant, which was also the 1st Heart transplant in India.
- 3rd August 2024 marks the observance of the 14th IODD.
- IODD is annually celebrated by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), an apex organisation under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), established to streamline organ donation and distribution.
Note:World Organ Donation Day is observed on 13 August in many parts of the world to raise awareness of Organ Donation.
Significance:
i.IODD aims to raise awareness about brain stem death and organ donation, eliminate myths and misconceptions associated with organ donation, and encourage Indian citizens to donate organs, and tissues after death.
ii.IODD aims to motivate normal human beings to pledge to donate organs after death and to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation.
Angdaan Jan Jagrukta Abhiyaan Campaign:
In 2024, the Government of India (GoI) launched a major awareness campaign named, “Angdaan Jan Jagrukta Abhiyaan” (Mass Awareness Campaign on Organ Donation).
- Under the campaign, the month of July 2024 (1-31 July) was observed as the Organ Donation Month.
Note: A special campaign ‘Angdaan Mahotsav’ was organised in 2023 India as a “Jan Andolan”
Background:
i.The NOTTO started celebrating Indian Organ Donation Day in 2010 and until 2022, it was celebrated on 27 November.
ii.In 2023, IODD was moved to 3 August to mark the anniversary of India’s 1st successful heart transplant.
- This was the first transplant after the promulgation of The Transplantation of Human Organs Act on 8 July 1994.
India’s 1st Heart Transplant:
i.India’s first successful heart transplant was performed on 3 August 1994 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, Delhi.
ii.The surgery was led by Dr. Panangipalli Venugopal, the chief of the cardiothoracic center at AIIMS, and a team of 20 surgeons.
About Organ Donation:
i.Any person 18 years or older can voluntarily authorize the removal of their organ and/or tissue for donation.
ii.One organ donor can save up to 8 to 9 lives by donating vital organs namely Kidney, Liver, Lung, Heart, Pancreas, and Intestine.
- They can also improve the quality of life of many more by donating tissues like cornea, skin, bone, heart valve, etc.
iii.The organ donor plays a vital role in saving others’ lives, whose organ can be transplanted to another person who needs it urgently.
Legal Framework:
i.Organ Donation and transplantation are permitted by law and are covered under the “Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) 1994”.
- The Act regulates the removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and prevents commercial dealings in human organs.
ii.The Act was amended in 2011 as the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011.
iii.The amended Act is now named the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994.
iv.In pursuance of the Amendment Act, the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue Rules were in 2014.
- The amended Act and revised Rules have many provisions for the promotion of organ donations from cadavers.
v.The THOA Act of 1994 established the NOTTO, the Regional Organ Transplant Organisation (ROTTO), and the State Organ Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) in each state.
2024 Event:
The 14th IODD was celebrated on 3 August 2024 at Bhim Hall, Dr. Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC), Delhi, and the event was presided over by Anupriya Patel, Minister of State (MoS), MoH&FW.
- The event was also attended by Dr Anil Kumar, Director, NOTTO.
Event Highlights:
i.The MoS felicitated 10 family members of deceased donors and 4 organ recipients.
ii.Awards were presented to the best performing States, Regional, SOTTOs, etc. for their contributions to organ donation and transplantation.
iii.The event featured the release of the e-Newsletter, NOTTO’s Annual Report, and a manual providing an introduction to the Organ Transport Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Notable Awards:
| Award Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best ROTTO Award | ROTTO North-Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh |
| Award for Best SOTTO/State (1st) | Telangana |
| Award for Best SOTTO/State (2nd) | Tamil Nadu and Karnataka |
| Best Emerging State in Northeast | Manipur |
| Emerging States in Organ Donation | Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) |
| Best Non-Transplant Organ Retrieval Centre (NTORC) | Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Emerging NTORC | Command Hospital, Chandmandir, Haryana |
| Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Himachal Pradesh | |
| State with Best Awareness/Information, Education & Communication (IEC) activities | Rajasthan |
| Best Hospital in the Private Sector with Highest Deceased Donation | Yashoda Hospital, Secundrabad, Telangana |
| Special Award to Central Government Hospital for the Efficient Revival of the Deceased Organ Donation Programme | Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, Delhi |
| Special Award to State Hospital for the Efficient Revival of the Deceased Organ Donation Programme | King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEM Hospital), Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Along with these awards, the best Brain Stem Death Certifying Team (Region-wise) was awarded to:
- West – New Civil Hospital, Surat, Gujarat;
- North – AIIMS, Delhi;
- South – KIMS, Secundrabad, Telangana;
- East – Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER) Kolkata, West Benga.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW):
Union Minister– Jagat Prakash Nadda (Rajya Sabha- Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS)– Jadhav Prataprao Ganpatrao (Constituency- Buldhana, Maharashtra; Anupriya Patel (Constituency- Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh)
