CHENNAI: Organ transplantation is the only way for survival for people who are in last stages of organ failure. Every year, over 2.5 lakh deaths in India are attributed to organ failure. According to a study the organ donation rate is 0.26 donors per million population, compared to 30 donors per million in western countries. With World Organ Donation Day on August 13, we look at the organ donation scene in the city as well as the teamwork behind saving lives.

There are two types of organ donation — deceased and living donation. Deceased organ donation is when a person is declared brain dead by doctors and is eligible to donate his organs, with family consent. “In India, more than 1.6 lakh people die of road traffic accidents annually, of which 60% have head injury. Potentially, many can donate organs, provided the family agrees,” explains Dr Sunil Shroff, MOHAN (Multi-Organ Harvesting Aid Network) foundation, an NGO promoting organ donation since 1997. “Brain-dead patients can donate eight organs, thus saving eight lives,” he says…..Readmore