Early Times Report JAMMU, June 21: A press conference on "Organ Donation & Transplantation" was held at the Super Speciality Hospital in Jammu, chaired by Dr. Shashi Sudhan Sharma, Principal of GMC Jammu. The event, organized by the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) J&K, aimed to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and address the significant gap between organ demand and availability in India, including Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Sharma emphasized the need for increased organ donation, stating that India's deceased organ donation rate is estimated to be 0.52 per million population, while Spain boasts the highest rate in the world at 49.6 per million population. She highlighted the disparity between North and South India, where the deceased organ donation rate is comparatively higher in the southern region. GMC Jammu is actively working to improve organ donation facilities, including starting deceased kidney donation and upgrading infrastructure for heart, liver, pancreas, and other organs. Dr. Sharma urged the public of J&K to come forward and pledge for organ donation, emphasizing the importance of saving lives through this selfless act. She explained that in the case of deceased donations, a team of doctors from the recipient hospital retrieves organs from brain-dead donors at GMC Jammu. The organs are then transported to the recipient hospital through a green corridor, ensuring swift and efficient transportation within specific timeframes: Kidneys (24-36 hours), Heart (4-6 hours), Lungs (4-8 hours), Liver (8-12 hours), Pancreas (12-18 hours), and Intestine (8-16 hours). Dr. Sharma stressed the urgency of addressing the demand and supply gap for organs, as many individuals are suffering from end-stage diseases and require transplants to survive. Deceased donors play a crucial role in reducing this gap and providing a lifeline to those in need. |