Give priority to women in organ transplant: Govt
It also suggested developing facilities for organ and tissue retrieval in all trauma centres and registering them as organ retrieval centres.
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NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Women patients should be accorded priority in organ transplant waiting lists to check gender disparity, the Union Health Ministry has advised states. It also suggested that weightage be given to near relatives of deceased donors awaiting organ transplant.
These suggestions are part of an advisory issued by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) under the Health Ministry to all states and Union Territories on the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day on August 2 for the augmentation of organ donation and transplantation in India.
"To make provision to give additional points in the allocation criteria for female patients in the waiting list for deceased donor organ transplants, so as to address gender disparity. To make provision that if a near relative of a previous deceased donor needs an organ transplant, then he may be given priority," the advisory said.
It also suggested developing facilities for organ and tissue retrieval in all trauma centres and registering them as organ retrieval centres. Similarly, states were advised to develop similar facilities in medical colleges in a phased manner.
States were asked to train emergency responders and ambulance staff for early identification of potential deceased donors, especially among victims of road traffic accidents and stroke patients, and alert the organ donation coordinator in the hospital.
Dr N Gopalakrishnan, Member Secretary, Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu (TRANSTAN), told DT Next, “There are several practical challenges in implementing it. We need to examine the issue seriously, and detailed discussions and deliberations are required before implementation. We are currently working on assessing the pros and cons, and this will take time.”
In view of the pivotal role of transplant coordinators in the Organ Donation and Transplantation Program, the NOTTO also recommended creating permanent posts for them in hospitals performing organ transplantation or organ retrieval.
