the goan I network
PANAJI
The Indian Medical Association (Goa branch) has voiced concern over the non-formation of the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) while citing this as the main cause for the failure of Goa's organ donation and transplant mechanism.
In her address at the recent inaugural ceremony of state-level medical conference GIMACON 2017, IMA-Goa president Dr Medha Salkar appealed to the chief guest at the event Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to ensure the setting up of SOTTO in Goa to facilitate cadaveric or brain dead organ transplants.
"Goa is among the first four states to plead with central government to pass the Tissue and Human Organ Transplant Act in 1994. But we have yet to benefit from the organized structure under the Act," she lamented.
Dr Salkar further informed that the web link for pledging of organ donation was launched on June 7 this year and that the link has registered about 250 entries.
"Unfortunately, the organ recipient wait list has not been created and maintained. This is the work of SOTTO," she explained, highlighting the need for the state-level organization.
The IMA president also pointed out that Goa registers around 350-odd deaths due to fatal road accidents annually. "Of these 350 unfortunate road accident fatalities, even if 10 per cent were to pledge their organs, our rate of organ donation could have been the highest in the country and in fact comparable to that of Spain, which presently leads the world in deceased organ donation," Dr Salkar stated.
IMA has stressed on the need for counseling and creation of public awareness in order to boost the number of donors in the state. Dr Salkar disclosed that each donor can save seven lives through lung, liver, kidney, heart and pancreas donation and improve the quality of life of another 50-odd through donation of skin, bone, tendons, heart valves and blood vessels.
It was informed that the requisite committee to identify and declare brain deaths has already been formed in Goa.
