Infrastructure deficiencies, low funds affecting organ transplants - report

Context

• The organ transplantation programme in India has been crippled by multiple issues, especially insufficient funds, shortage of specialised doctors, and procedural delays, a report released by the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry dated June 19 revealed.

• Explaining the bottlenecks and other issues faced by state-owned institutions, the report said only 13,476 kidney transplants were performed, both in government and private hospitals, against the recommended one lakh cases last year.

• In many trauma centres, beds were unavailable for potential donors due to high patient volume.

Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (THOT ) Act, 1994, and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules, 2014 (THOT Rules)

• The law governs the transplantation of human organs and tissues in India, including the donation of organs after death.

• It lays down regulations governing healthcare providers and hospitals, and stipulates penalties for violations.

Allowed Organ Donors

• In most cases, the Act allows donations from deceased / living close relatives such as parents, siblings, children, spouses, grandparents, and grandchildren.

• Living donations from close relatives involving Indians or foreigners must be accompanied by documents establishing their identities, family trees, and pictures that prove the donor-recipient relationship.

• Altruistic donations from distant relatives and in-laws are allowed after additional scrutiny to ensure there is no financial exchange.

Donations from Unrelated Persons:

• Donations from unrelated persons such as friends require documents and photographic evidence to prove their long-term association or friendship with the recipient.

• These are examined by an external committee to prevent illegal dealings.

Fines and Punishments:

• Offering to pay for organs or supplying them for payment; initiating, negotiating, or advertising such arrangements; looking for persons to supply organs; and abetting in preparing false documents can attract a jail term up to 10 years and a fine up to Rs 1 crore.

Formation of NOTTO:

• National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) is a National level organization set up under Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

• This has been mandated as per the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011.

• National Network division of NOTTO would function as apex centre for All India activities of coordination and networking for procurement and distribution of Organs and Tissues and registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in the country