The government has issued orders for implementation of the Cadaver Transplantation Programme in the State, Minister for Health Adoor Prakash said here on Tuesday.
The order specifies norms and procedures for determining brain death and gives legal backing for the organ transplantation. Issued under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994, the order makes it mandatory for five government medical colleges in the State, district and general hospitals and private hospitals registered for organ transplantation, to follow the procedures.
The Minister said that the government had also issued orders on procedure for removing organs from brain dead patients on the basis of consent from relatives, registration of those needing transplantation and determining priority in making the organs available to patients. Provision would be incorporated soon for allowing donors to make donations to patients of their choice.
Mr. Prakash said that the government had also issued detailed guidelines on duties and responsibilities of organ transplantation centres and transplant retrieval centres. A State level Cadaver Transplant Advisory Committee, headed by the Principal Secretary (Health), would oversee the programme and ensure transparency. Besides, the government had formed a Core Committee for Cadaver Transplantation, headed by the Director of Medical Education, to coordinate implementation of the programme.
He recalled that the government had earlier appointed an expert committee to study and report on the programme which had been implemented in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The orders were finalised on the basis of their report and considering the prevailing conditions in the health sector.