Unfortunately, mostly due to unawareness and prejudices, there is a huge shortage of organs that are needed for transplants. It has been seen in umpteen situations that relatives are hesitant and unwilling to donate the organs of their loved ones who have been declared brain dead.
Normally the transplant coordinator will approach the relatives with information about organ donation and explain that even in their time of loss, they can help another person to live. It is tough for the relatives at this point to come to a decision especially if they are not familiar with the concept of organ donation. This is the main reason why it is important for the public to know about organ donation, before they are suddenly faced with the possibility at some point in their lives.
It is estimated that the total number of brain stem deaths due to accidents in India is nearly 1.5 lakhs annually. Other causes of brain stem death would potentially add many more numbers. However, our organ donation rate is 0.86 per million population. The total number of deceased donors in India in 2017 was only 905.
Contrast that to the demand for organs. There is a need of approximately 5 lakh organs annually. Barely 2-3 percent of the demand is met, and many people die of organ failure every year across India.
NOTTO – National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization
The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) is a National level organization set up under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, located at 4th and 5th Floor of Institute of Pathology (ICMR) Building in Safdarjung Hospital New Delhi. The establishment of NOTTO has been mandated as per the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011.
NOTTO functions as the apex centre for All India activities of coordination and networking for procurement and distribution of Organs and Tissues and registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in the country. In addition to its national role, NOTTO is also the nodal networking agency for Delhi and the National Capital Region, and network for Procurement Allocation and Distribution of Organs and Tissues in Delhi and the National Capital Region.
ROTTO – Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation
The Regional Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) is the regional government organisation. There are five ROTTOs in India. They function as separate regional branches that ensure protocol amongst the state organisations enlisted under each of them. They are all based in a Government Hospital in the region. Each ROTTO manages about 5-7 States currently and is responsible for activities of coordination as well as networking for procurement, distribution and transplantation of organs and tissues between their respective State Organisations.