The Government is taking several steps to sensitize people on the issue of deceased organ donation and transplantation. These include dissemination of information by National Organ & Tissue Transplantation Organisation (NOTTO), Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs) and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (SOTTOs), the three-tiered structure set up under the National Organ Transplant Program (NOTP). 

 

A website ‘www.notto.mohfw.gov.in’ with a 24x7 call centre having a toll-free helpline number (1800114770) to provide information, tele-counselling and to help in coordination for organ donation. 

As a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, organ donation is being promoted as a “Jan Andolan” through social media. In this regard a pledge campaign and slogan competition is being run by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on MyGov platform. As a part of “Angdaan Mahotsav” initiated in the month of July 2023, various awareness programmes on deceased donor organ donation were organized across the country.  1st National Webinar on organ and tissue donation was organized in month of July 2023 with a focus on Prevention of Kidney and Liver failure, which was attended by thousands of Medical Professionals.

A number of activities are organized across the country for generating awareness, such as celebration of Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) annually, seminars, workshops, debates, sports events, walkathons, participation in marathons, nukkad natak, awareness stall in India International Trade Fair 2022, NOTTO Scientific Dialogue 2023. 

Other mediums include display boards on organ donation are put up outside ICUs and other strategic locations in the transplant/retrieval hospitals; advertisement in print media, dissemination of audio and audio-visual messages through social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube Channel) and electronic media. Regular programs are conducted with school children like visit to NOTTO campaign for giving them knowledge about organ donation and conducting competitions like poster making, running special pledge campaigns and slogan competitions on MyGov platform as well as national webinars on prevention of and stage organ disease (Kidney & Liver) and organ & tissue donation.

A brain stem dead person can donate vital life-saving organs like heart, 2 lungs, liver, 2 kidneys, pancreas, intestine, and many tissues like corneas, skin, bone & heart valves, `cartilage, hand etc. By doing so, a deceased donor can save up to 8 lives and can improve the quality of life of many others.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.