Brain-dead person can save 8 lives, donate 50 tissues: Urologist

Hardly anybody donates organs, need to create awareness: Dr Saleem Wani

A single brain-dead person has the potential to save up to eight lives by donating around 50 tissues, according to a noted urologist who called for an urgent need for increased awareness on the issue.

As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), speaking at an awareness programme on organ donation, Dr Saleem Wani highlighted the critical impact of organ donation and stressed the urgent need to raise awareness of this life-saving practice.

Dr Wani said there is hardly anybody ready to donate organs. Individuals who are brain dead due to severe accidents or terminal conditions, such as tumours with no chance of survival, can donate organs, thereby contributing to saving multiple lives, he said.

The noted urologist said there is a need for organising awareness programmes, given the limited availability of donors. He highlighted the role of religion in cadaveric donation, noting that Islam permits organ donation to save lives. The people should pledge online for organ donation, he urged.

The awareness programme was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir State Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO).

Dr Elias Sharma, Head of Urology at GMC Jammu and Nodal Officer of SOTTO J&K, delivered a comprehensive presentation on Human Organ Donation and Transplantation. He dispelled various myths associated with organ donation, saying that cadaveric organ donation in India could bridge the gap between demand and availability, which would save many lives.

Dr Sanjeev Puri, Joint Director of SOTTO J&K, highlighted the importance of the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) in India, launched under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The programme aims to boost cadaveric donations across the country. Dr Puri provided details on how individuals can register for the Organ Donation Pledge Drive under Ayushman Bhav to become organ donors.

Irfan Ahmed, Transplant Coordinator at SOTTO, shed light on the process of cadaveric organ donation within hospitals