the goan I network
PANAJI
Indian Medical Association (IMA) State President Medha Salkar has underlined the need for setting up Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO) for facilitating brain-dead organ donation.
Addressing the gathering during GIMACON 2017, she said that GOA IMA has chosen the theme - ‘keep giving, carry on living' focusing on cadaveric or brain-dead organ transplant.
"The Central government has a dedicated body NOTTO and there is regional organisation ROTTO based in KEM Mumbai. Goa however does not have a state-level body - SOTTO which even our neighbouring states like Maharashtra have. It is surprising to know that we were among the first four states to plead with the central government to pass Tissue and Human Organ Transplant Act (THOTA) in 1994, but Goans are yet to benefit", she said.
Pointing out that every year nearly 350 Goan youth lose lives is road accidents, she said, "Despite the best resuscitation means and treatment, some lose lives, mostly due to brain death. These individuals are eligible to become organ donors, if the family is willing. Of these even if 10 per cent had in the past, pledged their organs or their relatives had to give consent for organ donation, our rate of organ donation would have been the highest in India. Goa can become a role model state for others."
She also pointed out that each donor can save the lives of seven persons by donating organs like lung, liver, kidney, heart and pancreas.
"Besides, these donors can improve the quality of life of 50-odd persons through donation of skin, bone, tendons, heart valves, blood vessels, etc. Once organs are donated, they become the property of the state and thus, organ sharing and allocation happens in the most transparent manner. The state government has complete control over the transplant program in both public and private hospitals," she informed.
Salkar stated that the requisite committee to identify and declare brain death has been formed and informed that the first brain death was declared in the last week of April, this year.
"Another achievement is the launch of the web link for pledging of organ donation on June 7. So far we have about 250-odd entries but sadly the organ recipient waitlist is yet to be created and maintained. This waitlist and indeed the allocation of organs is done by SOTTO, yet to be formed," she said.
In her concluding remarks, Salkar appealed to the state government to implement SOTTO at the earliest. "If you so desire, we can hold a meeting with all stakeholders and if possible give a correct appraisal and you may then take a call. In our state there are hundreds of people in need, and for the lack of the above, they have to approach other states for their need and some have even opted for illegal means even outside India out of desperation. You can stop this and yet heal the wounds of the sufferers of organ failure," she stated.
