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Karnataka celebrates unsung heroes behind organ donation, issues certificate of appreciation to families

Jeevasarthakathe, now SOTTO, promotes organ donation and coordinates brain-dead donor transplantation in Karnataka.

Published Mar 01, 2024 | 2:58 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 01, 2024 | 2:58 PM

Families of organ donors in Karnataka were felicitated by the state government. (Supplied)

In a significant move to promote organ donation and honour the noble act of families who have contributed to saving lives through organ donation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the Certificate of Appreciation distribution programme on Friday, 1 March, at the Chief Minister’s Home Office.

Chief Minister expressed the government’s commitment to dispel superstitions and misconceptions surrounding organ donation. He emphasised the importance of acknowledging the selfless contribution of families who have donated organs and tissues.

The Certificate of Appreciation distribution programme is part of the broader initiative led by Jeevasarthakathe, now known as the State Organ Tissue & Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), which has been actively promoting organ donation in the state since 2017.

Jeevasarthakathe promotes organ donation and coordinates brain-dead donor transplantation in Karnataka. Their mission is to save the lives of individuals suffering from end-stage organ failure through organ donation. It was renamed SOTTO in 2020.

Also Read: Karnataka to accord state honours to organ donors

Organ donation in Karnataka

According to recent statistics, Karnataka has witnessed a surge in organ donation pledges. From 5 September, 2023, to 27 February, 2024, Karnataka ranked 4th in the country with a total of 20,029 pledges through the NOTTO QR code. A total of 61,147 individuals have pledged for organ donation through the SOTTO/NOTTO QR code.

Patients waiting for organs in Karnataka. (Supplied)

However, the state still faces a significant shortage of organs, with thousands of patients awaiting transplants. As of 27 February, 2024, the demand for organs in the state is as follows:

Kidney: 5,942
Liver: 2,043
Heart: 187
Lungs: 79
Heart and Lungs: 30
Liver and Kidney: 61
Kidney and Pancreas: 29
Heart and Kidney: 2
Small intestine: 1

“One organ donor can save 8 lives. A heart, two kidneys, liver, pancreas, small intestine, and lungs can be donated. The same donor can save more than 50 lives through tissue donation. There is no age limit for organ donation,” emphasised a press statement issued by the government.

As noted in the press statement, the Karnataka government has implemented several measures to address the organ shortage:

Establishment of Non-Transplant Human Organ Retrieval Centres (NTHORC) in government medical colleges and district hospitals, including Trauma Care & Emergency Centres (TCEC). These centres collect organs from individuals declared brain dead and transport them to transplant centres through green corridors. NTHORCs will be established in each district hospital and medical college.
Division of SOTTO/Jeevasarthakathe into five zones for local administration: Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Hubbali/Dharwad, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru.
Formation of Brain Death Declaration Committees in each district hospital and medical college to identify and declare brain-dead patients.
Fixing of free package rates for kidney, heart, and liver organs for BPL card holders under Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) by the government.
Conducting kidney transplants at government hospitals such as the Institute of Nephro-Urology, Bengaluru, and Karnataka Medical Institute KIMS, Hubbali. Heart transplants are performed at Sri Jayadeva Heart Hospital & Institute of Gastroenterology Sciences & Organ Transplant (IGOT).

Also Read: 80% of organ transplant recipients between 1995 and 2021 were men: GOI Data

This year’s campaign objectives

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao felicitated the families of organ donors. (Supplied)

As of 2023, Karnataka ranks second in India with 178 organ donations, and 21 organ donations have already taken place in 2024. The government aims to achieve further success through this year’s organ donation campaign, focusing on promoting a healthy lifestyle, raising awareness, preventing illegal activities, and providing training to hospitals.

The specific objectives of this year’s Organ Donation Campaign are:

The implementation of various schemes under the NCDs programmes to promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce the demand for organ transplants. Furthermore, the government has initiated a free single-use dialysis programme.
Raising awareness about organ donation in cases of brain death.
Prevention of illegal activities related to organ transplantation and conducting Deceased Donor & Live Donation programmes in a highly transparent manner.
Dissemination of information about superstitions and misconceptions related to organ donation and transplantation.
Providing training on the identification and declaration of brain death cases by hospitals. Additionally, the recognition of all district hospitals and medical colleges as NTHORC.