Chennai: Efforts of hospitals in the state and NGOs like Mohan (Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network) Foundation have brought Tamil Nadu to the forefront in terms of cadaver organ transplantation in the country.
Adding to the efforts was the initiative taken by Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore, which created a Guinness World Record by enrolling 13,206 donors within merely eight hours a few days back. "It was not a moment of pride for Coimbatore alone, but for the whole state. We need more hospitals in our country taking such initiatives," said K. Sundar of Coimbatore.
Nephrologists and NGOs are proud that Tamil Nadu is known as the state with the lowest demand-supply gap of organs because of its high number of organ donors, thanks to Tamil Nadu Organ Sharing Network. "Though it was found that over the last 10 to 15 years, organ donation process was marred in India, the efforts of the network, and other organisations have paid off in positioning Tamil Nadu as the state that leads the country in organ donation," said a member of the network, adding it has become impossible to run a kidney racket in the state due to regular checks.
Tamil Nadu has the highest rate of traffic accidents in India (13.6 per cent of all accidents and 11.3 per cent of all deaths, according to recent reports), and many are brought to hospitals brain dead. "Loss of organs at the Casualty level are seen to be high as doctors prefer not to waste a hospital bed on the dead," said a nephrologist from Vellore.
"Family members of the deceased tend to back out from the option for fear of their loved one's body getting dented," said Aravindan Sundar, co-founder of Coalition of Organ Failure Solutions.
Stressing on the need to create awareness, Sunil Shroff of Mohan Foundation said, "It is very important to educate the public about organ donation. Over the years, we have recognised that there is a greater need to educate doctors and hospitals about the same."
However, Chennai boasts of being home to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), which is the second in the list of hospitals where the largest number of deceased organ donations in the state takes place.
