Due to Lack Of Awareness And Strict Laws, Only 0.01% in India Donate Organs After Death

Unlike the West, Indian laws allow organ donations from ONLY a ‘near relative’, which is spouse, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister.

Organ donation is not popular in India. Lack of awareness and strict laws are among the reasons that hinder organ donation in India, where many people die due to failure to get organs.

According to the 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) report, only about 0.01 percent people in India donate their organs after death and people are not willing to donate the organs of their deceased relatives.

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Sandeep Kumar, Vice President of Donate Life, said, “In western countries like the US, the laws are not tough and India should follow some of their provisions. There is an urgent need to change the laws related with human organs transplant. They are very restrictive in nature.”

Current law in India allows organ donations from a ‘near relative’, which it defines as spouse, son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister. NGO’s have suggested states to prepare their own norms and rules on organ donation but only few of them have formulated the polices on this important issue, said Kumar.

“Gujarat wanted some inputs. We have recommended them to expand the definition of ’near relative’ and include friends, brother-in-law, sister-in-law and other relatives,” said Kumar.

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There are lakhs of people who need vital organs such as kidney, liver, eyes, but due to strict laws, people are reluctant to donate organs, he added.

"There is very low willingness among people to donate organs also because of lack of awareness. Cost of such transplants are also very high. It ranges between Rs 3 to Rs 3.5 lakh for kidney. Government should look at ways to reduce the cost," said Kumar.

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Nearly 1.5 lakh people in India are on waiting list for kidney transplant, but only 3000 of them receive one. Around 90 percent of people in the waiting list die before getting an organ for transplant.

Source-Medindia

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