Youngsters must create awareness among the public about the importance of organ donation, said Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar.
Speaking at a cycle rally organised by Confederation of Indian Industry and Young Indians here on Sunday, he said there was a huge disparity between the number of people awaiting organ transplantation and availability of organs. “Currently, blood donation is popular and many are aware of donating blood. The same kind of awareness is not there for organ donation,” he said.
He specifically stated that there was a shortage of corneas. Family members must be educated about the service they would be rendering by donating organs of the deceased to the deserving, he said.
Head of ‘Gift an organ’ project of Young Indians, P. Sharmila Devi, said that YI had been relentlessly encouraging members across 42 chapters in India to take up the cause of organ donation. “Youth need to participate and ensure that their families are sensitised about the need for pledging their organs. With more support for the cause, the gap between demand and availability can be easily bridged,” she said. A total of 135 participants cycled a seven kilometre pathway starting at Madurai Rifle Club, spreading the word about various forms of organ donation.
