13 August: Organ Donation Day

Every year 13 August is observed as Organ donation day, to create awareness about organ donation and to remove the myths about organ donation from people’s mind. Organ donation day urges people of all communities to come forth and donate organs to save precious lives.

Organ Donation Day

Background: Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare launched 6th World and 1st ever Indian Organ Donation Day and Organ Donation Congress in 2010 in New Delhi.

Organ Donor: As per National Health Portal guidelines, anyone can be an organ donor irrespective of age, caste, religion and community. A donor can initiate to donate organs such as heart, kidneys, liver, intestine, lungs and pancreas after his/her death. Later these organs can be transplanted into another person who is in urgent need of an organ.

Legal status of organ donation in India: Organ donations are legal by Indian law and for this purpose Government of India has enacted Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA), 1994, which permits organ donation, and legitimizes concept of ‘brain death’.

Significance

As per National Health Portal, there is a huge number of population which dies due to organ failure in India with almost 500,000 people dying due to non-availability of organs. Organ donation can be life-changing for many and this practice can give a new life to the ones in need.

The Organ donation day strives to motivate people to donate their healthy and precious organs after death to save lives. The day tries to spread information and make people aware about organ donation and also attempts to eliminate myths and fears people have in their mind about organ donation.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2019