Organ Donation, are we doing enough to spread enough awareness?
Organ donation is the donation of a tissue or organ from a living or dead person to a living recipient. It involves a surgical procedure and it depends upon recipient's medical or social history. Today's technology allows transplantation in almost every part of the body such as Cornea Transplantation, Renal Transplantation, Heart Transplantation etc. Now I would like to say that science has made medical complications easy by introducing the process of organ transplantation, but sadly that is not the case. This is mainly due to ethical issues, social background and economic problems.
Some of us may know that organ transplantation involves a long procedure of enlisting the recipient's name, analysing their medical history, analysing their surgical compatibility, finding the suitable donor at correct time, surviving through the long very long waiting list. But how many of the common people are aware of this procedure? How many of them know that they can survive by organ transplantation?
People in village have their own assumptions that organ transplantation is costly and poor people cannot afford it. I agree that organ transplantation was costly when it was introduced but later our government have introduced many medical schemes to support the poor. For example "Jeevandan" is a comprehensive scheme proposed by Cadaver Transplantation Advisory Committee for organ transplantation. Commoners including educated people have no idea about such schemes.
Some people are reluctant to donate because of wrong assumptions.I came across a banker who was unwilling to donate blood in a blood camp organised by YRC. When I questioned their reason for not doing so, he simply told me that his total blood content will get reduced and he will become anaemic. Sadly he didn't know that the blood cells will be regenerated within few days, that too being an educated man. This is the case of literate people and we are not to blame the unschooled people. Likewise people assume that they will be affected if they donate. What they don't realise is that their one simple consent for donation will give someone else a second chance in their life and the recipient will be able to live the life he has envisioned.
Some people are not ready to donate simple because they don't like the idea of being cut up once he or she is dead. Some consider it as unethical. Again they are not aware they can donate while they are still alive. Also there are people who are afraid of the surgical complications they will face since organ transplantation is a complex procedure. Ofcourse they don't know that there will be trained surgeons who will monitor their health condition and assess their compatibility for transplantation.
Young people who are stricken with serious ailment are potential donors.But their family may think otherwise stricken with grief. Enlisting their son or daughter for organ donation during their last days is a consolation for them knowing that they are still alive in some way.
Apart from this religious people are the one who doesn't want to be part of this procedure since they doesn't know where their organs will end up. He or she may be of any religion or caste or economic background.My opinion in this matter is first of all we all are human beings and children of the universe. Religion is just a barrier separating us.Such kind of people should take a minute to think how many lives could be saved by their act of kindness.
Also the people should know that the doctor treating them when they are in hospital and the doctor verifying their organs for transplantation are different.Because some have assumed that registered people for organ donation are treated carelessly, which is obviously silly.
My personal opinion is that government should be more active in creating awareness among people both schooled and unschooled people.What is the use of implementing a scheme for people if they themselves are not aware of it?Student volunteers should create awareness among public about the procedure for organ donation,help people in enlisting for the waiting list etc.People should be aware that organ donation will not affect the donor or recipient in any way and there are many precautionary steps to prevent such conditions.Every hospital should have trained doctors who can conduct awareness for those patients who are seriously ill and let them know that they can save lives and live on this beautiful earth even if they pass away.
Mostly people come forward for this procedure to help their loved ones.But registering themselves for organ donation to help some random sranger is a big act of humanitiarism to which I salute.I hope that if the awareness among public is taken more serious in this matter we will be able to save more lives in near future.
Subhaashree.S
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