Over 2,000 people in Telangana are registered as recipients for organs, mainly kidney and liver, but have to wait years before a donation gives them a new lease of life, as organ harvesting is mainly restricted to private hospitals.
The State’s cadaver donation programme, Jeevandan, counts 243 donors since it kicked off in 2013. Most patients, whose organs were harvested, breathed their last in private corporate hospitals of the city. Only 11 donors from NIMS and three in Osmania General Hospital were recorded in Jeevandan’s registries.
‘Lack of awareness’
“Lack of awareness among the economically weak communities that seek treatment at government institutions could be one of the reasons for unwillingness of families to donate organs of deceased relatives in government hospitals,” said Dr. G. Swarnalatha, in-charge of the Jeevandan programme.
Jeevandan splits organs harvested between the hospital and the general pool of organs, if the donation is done in a private hospital. Families of prospective donors are counselled when the likelihood of brain death is high.
Seconding the Jeevandan officials’ take on the matter, Dr. J.V. Reddy, Superintendent of Gandhi Hospital, where no donations have taken place so far, said a dedicated workforce is needed in public hospitals. “The workload on doctors in public practise is more, and there is thus a need for workforce to oversee donations,” he said.
Transplant coordinators, who work in the city’s hospitals, say that while awareness about organ donation helps, social or economic backwardness does not hamper convincing families.
“We often see that among relatives, friends or neighbours of the deceased, there is a person educated enough to explain the benevolence associated with organ donation to grieving relatives,” said Bhanuchandra of Mohan Foundation that works to promote organ donation.
“Operational and infrastructure support is lacking in public health institutions. If every private hospital has two transplant coordinators, most government hospitals have none or just one person who has to everything, including identifying potential donors,” said Mr. Bhanuchandra who is a transplant coordinator at Osmania General Hospital.
Last week, the hospital marked its first donation when organs of three donors were harvested.
Inadequate care
“Most importantly, if a potential donor’s family feels the care accorded to their relative was inadequate, they would never consent to donation. This applies to people from all walks of society, irrespective of private or public setting,” he added.
