Awareness on organ donation very low

Bengaluru: It is not just the general public but, surprisingly, even the medical fraternity in the State that is not aware about the protocols and policy related to organ donation. This was revealed by a survey conducted by Gift Your Organ Found­ation, a city based voluntary organisation. According to statistics obtained from the Zonal Coordination Comm­ittee of Karnataka, (ZCCK) a total of 980 people are on the waiting list for various organs in the State. The number of those waiting for a kidney is the highest. About 819 patients with renal failure are awaiting a kidney donor, 123 are waiting for liver, 20 for heart, 9 for lung, 2 for kidney and pancreas, 7 for heart and lung and 2 for kidney and liver. The gap between the demand and supply of major organs is tremendous and the survey by Gift Your Organ Foundation showed why. Some 350 lay people and 500 medical students were part of the survey over the past one year. The survey of lay people conducted online showed

that a majority of the respondents were not aware of living donor transplantation and the concept of being brain dead. Most surprisingly, a majority of the 500 medical students from across Karnataka who were surveyed through personal dialogue and interviews were not aware of the protocols related to organ donation. Dr Sonal Asthana, chief of Liver and Multiorgan Transplant Unit, BGS Global Hospital who is also medical adviser to Gift Your Organ Foun­dation, says there has to be much more awareness about organ donation among all sections of society, including medical professionals, especially critical care doctors and neurology specialists as they are the ones who can identify and ascertain the brain dead patient at the initial stage. Wife donates 60% of her liver to her husband, both safe By donating about 60 per cent of her right liver, Shenaz has given a new lease of life to her husband Allabakshi, a wireless operator with the Karnataka State Reserve Police. Allabakshi suffered from chronic liver failure which would most likely have claimed his life. What started as liver jaundice two years ago turned out to be chronic liver failure for 51-year-old Allabakshi. A native of Bhadravati in Shimoga, Allabakshi was posted to Koppal. Food and water problems, compounded by excessive alcohol consumption caused the liver jaundice. He was moved from Kasturba Hospital in Manipal to the city based BGS Global Hospital when his condition started deteriorating. “The doctor at BGS Hospital told me about the condition of my liver and the only way out for my survival was liver transplantation. They told us about the possibility of family members donating the liver. My wife was convinced to donate a part of her liver,” said Allabakshi. “The entire process of assessing, checking the compatibility of the donor and the receiver, getting the funds through the Arogya Bhagya scheme took us about six months. The transplantation was done successfully on April 15 and both of us are fine and happy. Since July 10 my husband has joined work and is now posted at Shimoga,” said an elated Shenaz. Source : Deccan Chronicle