Patients’ wait for organs gets longer as donation sees a dip in Karnataka

By Kumaran P | NT

Bengaluru: The doctors in Bengaluru suggest that in order to improve organ donation, innovation and ground-level work is the key. The steps taken in this direction by kin of two Sandalwood icons Sanchari Vijay and Puneeth Rajkumar who passed away recently, have strengthened the cause of organ donation. Despite such laudable gestures, it is sad that cadaveric organ donation is yet to pick up momentum in Karnataka.

Speaking about this, Dr Sanjay S, a renowned nephrologist who runs his own Centre for Kidney and Diabetes Care at Yelahanka in Bengaluru, says it is lack of awareness that is holding people back from coming forward to donate their organs. “There are still about 4,000 to 5,000 people waiting to receive organs. The numbers continue to grow,” the doctor confirmed. The State Organ Transplant and Tissues Organisation (SOTTO) immediately after the death of Sanchari Vijay had received 230 pledges from people, in about 20 days, which is a record of sorts. No doubt, such gestures are welcome but being connected to emotional events, the newfound enthusiasm soon dies down,” Dr Sanjay exclaimed.

According to the State statistics, cadaver donations in the State steadily grew from 68 in 2017 to 105 in 2019. However, there were only 35 donations in 2020, and in the current year till June, only 32 donations have taken place which led to the transplantation of 80 organs and 46 tissues including 9 hearts, 26 livers, 36 kidneys and 5 lungs among others. “It is evident that Covid-19 massively disrupted the organ donation process. The pandemic undid whatever little progress we had made,” lamented Dr Sanjay.

According to SOTTO, 3,720 people are waiting for kidneys in the State followed by heart (113), lungs (50), and liver (50). Thirty people require liver and kidneys, 22 people require heart and lungs while 19 others wait for kidneys and pancreas. These numbers, according to Dr Sanjay, emphasise the need to further pep up the campaign. “There are a number of myths about organ donation. We need to bust these myths. The government, doctors, hospitals, paramedics, NGOs and other stakeholders need to work hand-in-hand. We should also take the help of technology wherever possible to speed up the process of organ donation,” the doctor suggested.

Dr Sonal Asthana, Lead Consultant – HPB & Liver Transplant Surgery, Aster CMI Hospital said, “Endstage organ failure causes nearly half a million deaths in India annually as well as untold misery to several patients who have to undergo dialysis. However, over the past decade, organ donation rates have risen more than tenfold across the country. The rate has gone up from 0.08 per million to more than 0.8 per million population, with several states recording donation rates of 3 to 4 per million population. Despite the increase, there is a minority of the population who are not aware of org an donation.”

She added, “Medical professionals working in critical care should be trained in grief counselling and offering the option of organ donation to the relatives of deceased patients. The gover nment should also streamline the process for recovery of organs from non-transplant centres to reduce the stress on patient families,” added the doctor.