World Organ Donation Day 2020: August 13

World Organ Donation Day is observed annually on August 13 to motivate people to donate organs after death and to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India launched the 6th World and 1st ever Indian Organ Donation Day and Organ Donation Congress in 2010 in New Delhi.

Organ Donation Week in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asked all universities in the state to observe Organ Donation Week from August 13 to August 20, 2020 to create awareness about organ donation among students, teachers, staff and the general public.

Organ Donation and Transplantation in India

i.As per the 2018 reports, the number of transplants performed annually in India has been rising slowly around 5000 kidneys, 1000 livers and around 50 hearts. 

ii.India’s current organ donation rate is 0.86 per million, which is very poor when compared to other countries 

iii.If India reaches a 1 per million donation rate, it will almost meet current demands for organs.

Organ Donation and Transplant Surgeries in COVID-19

i.Organ donation and transplant surgeries and the need for donors have been reduced with the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. 

Note– As per the data of Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee (ZTCC) there is a 70% decline in organ donation between March and July as compared to the same period last year(2019).

ii.During the lockdown the organ transplantation programme was temporarily suspended to avert the spread of COVID-19.

iii.As per the Global Alliance for Eye Banking (GAEB), currently, there is no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 viruses can be transmitted through blood transfusions or tissue transplants. 

iv.Till now, there is also no report that the virus will spread through organ transplant but COVID-19 has a higher stimulus for the kidney.

v.The Indian Society of Organ Transplant (ISOT) suggested that living donor kidney transplantation may be best delayed during the coronavirus period. But, living donor liver transplant may be considered in patients with acute life-threatening forms of liver failure. 

vi.The National Organ And Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) Transplant as recommended that the transplant amidst COVID-19 is risky as there is issues related to donor selection, recipient selection, and infection control risks.

Gist about Organ Donation

Meaning

Organ donation is the process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from one person (organ donor) and placing it into another person (recipient). Transplantation is necessary because the recipient’s organ has failed or been damaged by disease or injury.

Organs and tissues that can be transplanted include

Liver , Eye, Heart valves, Connective tissue, Intestine, Cornea , Middle ear , Skin, Bone, Bone marrow, Kidney, Pancreas, Heart and  Lungs.

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