Indore, 13th March, 2011:Maharishi Dadhichi Dehdaan Angdaan Samiti today organized a workshop in Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya to understand various issued related to Deceased Organ Donation in Madhya Pradesh.

Present on the occasion were Shri. Kailash Vijayvargiya, Minister of Industry, Madhya Pradesh and Shri. Mahendra Hardia, Minister of State for Public Health and Family Welfare, Madhya Pradesh.

Also, Dr. Vatsala Trivedi, President, National Deceased Donor Transplantation Network and Dr Sunil Chandiwal- Choithram Hospital & Research Center were present for the program.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sunil Chandiwal, Choithram Hospital & Research Center said, “In 1994, the Government of India introduced the Human Organ Transplantation Act 1994. However, the scenario of organ donation in Madhya Pradesh state is not pleasant due to low awareness and multiplicity of myths amongst the people.

In last one and half year there was no organ transplantation in Madhya Pradesh. The patients need to go to other states for transplantation.

“We need to realize that in the event of brain death, the other organs of the patient would subsequently give up. A clear understanding of brain death would not only help in the endeavour to spread awareness about organ donation but would also encourage people to voluntarily patronise the same. If a brain death situation is explained clearly, and a family decides to donate, multiple lives can be saved by one person's organs,” said Dr. Vatsala Trivedi President, National Deceased Donor Transplantation Network.

She further added, “Also apart from sensitizing people and the general public about the need to donate, what is also equally important is communicating with doctors and medical Practitioners. Many doctors do not address the option of donation to relatives of the deceased. There a lot of potential donors go unnoticed.

India has a lot of gap in terms of awareness compared to the western world where most of the organ transplant takes place through deceased organ donation. The various reasons why Indians hardly opt for organ donation of deceased relative is the fear that the patient may not be dead, looks normal because brain death always occurs in the ICU setup and the body functions are maintained artificially. The fears like body mutilation and images of harassment, filling up of forms, not getting the body back in time, difficulty in taking decisions in a crisis are the main causes. Adding to this situation are religious beliefs.

There is a great need for increasing awareness about organ trans¬plantation and organ donation among the masses. With greater awareness, an individual can help save other lives even after his or her death, simply by donating organs.

About Maharishi Dadhichi Dehdaan Angdaan Samiti:
Maharishi Dadhichi Dehdaan Angdaan Samiti works for issues concerning blood, organ, and tissue donations. The organization promotes body donation for medical research and education for advancement of science.

The organization aims of a society where people have interest, understanding and commitment for matters related to these life saving donations, discuss them unhesitant and respect the donor & family.

Dadhichi is a thought line- a thought for welfare, a thought to serve, a thought to devote and donate oneself for the sake of suffering humanity.