Organ donation is very rare in J&K and there is a dire need to spread awareness among people about its importance, doctors said.
Dr Sanjeev Puri, Joint Director State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) J&K said that donating organs of deceased persons is very uncommon in Jammu and Kashmir.
Only persons alive donate their organs and mainly eyes, he added.
“Eye donation has been going on for several years but very few people are coming forward for it as well,” he said.
According to Puri, they are conducting awareness programmes to make people understand about the importance of organ donation. “We are planning to start activities in Kashmir next month and this week awareness camps will be held in Jammu,” he said.
Live donation is going for the kidney as of now and that too within families.
“There is a very high requirement of organ donation in J&K and only deceased organ donation can fill the gap between demand and supply so that liver, heart, kidney failure patients can be treated,” Puri added.
He said that people fighting with end stage diseases are eagerly waiting for organ transplant. For this very purpose, SOTTO J&K has decided to organize the month-long organ donation awareness mega campaign this month in Jammu and next month in Srinagar, he said.
Principal Government Medical College Jammu Dr Shashi Sudhan Sharma said that one single organ and tissue donor can save or improve the lives of more than eight people, helping to restore eyesight, damaged tissues or vital functions. “Organ transplantation each year gives a renewed chance to thousands of children and adults to live a full and active life,” he added.
Dr Elias Sharma, Nodal Officer, SOTTO J&K said that the intention of awareness is to reach out to people and spread the message that they should voluntarily come forward and donate organs
