2. Why donate organs?
You give but
little when you
give of your
possessions.
It is when you
give of yourself
that you truly
give.
~Kahlil Gibran
3. “An organ wasted is a life lost”
• Over 1 million patients suffer
with end-stage organ failure
• But only around 3,500 organ
transplants are performed annually
• At least 10 patients die every day
while on waiting list for organs
• Every ten minutes, a new name is
added to the waiting list
4. Who can donate
• Anyone, at any age
• Living Donor (Kidneys/Liver)
– Immediate blood relative
– Unrelated
– Donor consent
• Deceased Donor (most organs)
– Brain dead
– Consent from relatives
– No monetary benefit
5. Brain Death
• Severe, irreversible injury to the
brain
• All areas of brain damaged and all
activities stop
• Person can’t sustain life on
own, even though vital body
functions may be maintained
artificially
6. Establishing brain death
• Strict guidelines laid down by law
• Certified by team of four doctors
not connected with the transplant
• Tests done at least twice
• Only in institutions with
appropriate license
7. Common causes of brain death
• Road traffic accidents
• Stroke
• Brain hemorrhage
• Brain tumor
8. India’s organ needs can be met
• > 1.4 lakh people die
in road accidents every
year (65% brain injuries)
• 95,000 potential organs
• A donation rate of just
3-5 per million would
meet all of India’s
present organ needs!
(current: 0.08)
9. 3-5 per million is very achievable
Donation Rates per million population
India 0.08
Tamil Nadu 1.5
Argentina 12
Germany 16
Italy 20
Austria 23
USA 24
France 25
Spain 34
10. Transplantation of
Human Organs Act 1994
• Legalised the concept of brain death
thereby facilitating organ
procurement from heart beating, brain
dead donors
• Aimed at stopping commercial dealing
of organs, especially kidneys
• Defined donor types –
live/related, live/unrelated and
cadaver
11. Which organs can be donated?
NATURAL DEATH
Eyes (Cornea)
Middle-ear Bones
Bones & Tendons
Heart Valves
Cartilage
Veins & Arteries
Skin &
Bone Marrow
Fascia
12. Which organs can be donated?
BRAIN DEATH
Eyes (Cornea)
Larynx
Lungs
Heart
Liver
Intestines
Pancreas Kidneys
Skin Bone Marrow
13. Eye Donation can even be
done at home
• Keep eyes moist
Only cornea
& eye-lids
is removed
closed
• Switch off fans
• Keep head
slightly raised
• Contact nearest
Eye Bank
14. Role of MOHAN Foundation
• Create public awareness on deceased
organ donation
• Create linkages with hospitals so we
are notified in case of“brain death”
• Train Transplant Coordinators to
counsel donor’s family and encourage
organ donation
• Liaise with government in passing
favourable legislations
15. The MOHAN Foundation impact
• Chennai (Rajiv Gandhi Govt General
Hospital):
– Over 70% success rate (53/81)
– 217 organs/tissues retrieved since
Feb 2010
• Hyderabad:
– 723 organs since 2002
16. The MOHAN Foundation impact
• 70% of deceased donations in India
due to MOHAN Counseling of
families
• TN donation rate pushed to 1.5 per
million population
• In AP from 0 to 0.5 per million
• 260 transplant coordinators trained
in the last 3 years (requirement
over 1500)
17. What you can do
• Pledge your organs
• Always carry your Donor Card
• Convey your decision to your
family members
18. MYTH: If the family agrees to
donation, doctors will not try hard to save
the patient
FACT:
• When you go to a hospital for
treatment, doctors focus on saving your
life – not somebody else’s.
• The Option to donate organs is offered
only after the person is medically
declared dead.
• The doctor in charge of your care has
nothing to do with transplantation.
19. MYTH: Donors family will have to
pay more money to the hospital
FACT:
After declaration of death, the hospital
bears all expenses of artificially
supporting the donor.
20. MYTH: What if I recover from
brain death?
FACT:
• It is impossible to recover from brain
death - it is not the same as coma
• In fact, people who have agreed to
organ donation have additional tests
(at no cost to the family) to determine
that they are truly brain dead
21. MYTH: If I donate organs, I will
be born without them in next birth
FACT:
• Organs are destroyed anyway when you
are cremated
• The physical body does not survive
death, so the organs hold no relevance
even if you believe in rebirth
22. MYTH: Religions forbid organ
donation and transplantation
FACT:
• All major faiths support organ donation
as a humanitarian act
• Prominent religious leaders have also
endorsed
23. MYTH: Organ donation mutilates
the body
FACT:
• Donated organs are removed
surgically, which doesn't disfigure the
body
• Also since the donor’s body is clothed
for cremation, there are no visible
signs of donation
This maintains circulation to vital organs long enough to facilitate organ donation.
Once declared brain dead, further artificial support is futile and is actually an emotional and financial trauma to the family. At this time, a decision for organ donation should be taken at the earliest.
It is said, that over 1.4 lakh road accidents take place each year. About 65% of them sustain brain injuries and can end up brain dead and these are potential organ donors. One person can save upto 7-8 lives if their family members consent for organ donation.
The Govt of India passed the THO Act in the year 1994. Basically what it highlighted was the following:
MOHAN Foundation was started by a group of like-minded and concerned medical and non-medical professionals committed to increasing the reach of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act.
