More than five lakh people, who could have been saved through organ transplantation, die in India every year. A small step towards tackling this tragedy was taken in Coimbatore on Sunday with the launch of a website focussing exclusively on organ donation.
It is a joint initiative of the Healthcare Panel of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-Coimbatore Zone, Young Indians (Yi)-Coimbatore Chapter and 12 leading hospitals in the city. V. Ramakrishna of Sri Ramakrishna Hospital and C. Palanivelu of GEM Hospital launched the website at a function here. Apart from providing information to dispel myths and misconceptions, people can also use www.giftanorgan.org to register themselves as organ donors. Actor Surya has also lent his star power to this cause. Besides featuring in a video, he is also the brand ambassador for the ‘Gift an Organ’ initiative.
The campaign is also to impress among the public the unique role of Tamil Nadu in organ donation. With 540 donors having given over 2,500 organs in the past half a decade, the State has performed ten times more cadaver transplantations than any other State in India.
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Nalla G. Palaniswamy, chairman of Kovai Medical Center and Hospital (KMCH), launched the ‘Gift an Organ’ video, featuring Surya. Counters were also set up at the function venue for the public to sign up.
Renowned orator Suki Sivam delivered a motivational address during the function, calling upon the populace to sign up for organ donation. Medical experts spoke about the transplantation of various organs.