Thiruvananthapuram: Close on the heels of the visit of Luc Noel, WHO consultant for organ donation who termed the existing process of declaring a person brain dead quite complicated, experts will brainstorm on reviving the organ donation programme in the state.
The symposium organised by Kerala Network of Organ Sharing (KNOS) here on September 28, is being held in the back drop of the drastic fall in the number of donors. From 72 donors in 2016, the number has come down to three till September 26 this year.
The drastic fall in the number of donors is attributed to the stringent norms put in place by the authorities like making presence of government doctor mandatory for brain death certification and live videography of the entire procedure.
The WHO expert who reviewed the organ transplant programme was not quite convinced by the mandatory norm that government doctors should certify brain death in private hospitals ahead of harvesting organs and transplant. Such stringent norms have not gone down well with the doctors in private hospitals who are engaged in organ transplant programme.
The bulk of organ harvesting and transplant in the state is being carried out in private hospitals. The government had brought stringent and specific guidelines in April for brain death certification including three mandatory steps.
These guidelines which adhere to all international standards for declaring a person brain dead, were made mandatory for all government and private hospitals in the state. While the doctors are not against the guidelines, they have serious reservations about the norm making government doctor’s certification mandatory in brain death cases.
The ensuing symposium will discuss the medical and ethical considerations in determining death by neurological criteria. Dr Maria Paula Gomez, organ transplant expert from Spain will discuss the leading practices in deceased organ donation.
The current challenges being faced by deceased donor programme in the state and the steps needed to overcome the obstacles would be discussed at length.
