Even as more than five lakh Indians were waiting for organs in hospitals all over the country, only less than two per cent of them were able to receive donated organs”, said Dr. R.V. Ramani, Project Chairman of Gift An Organ initiative and Founder of Sankara Eye Care Institutions, India.
The event was jointly organised by Confederation of Indian Industries, Coimbatore and Young Indians, Coimbatore Chapter.
Speaking at the inspirational session on Organ Donation, Ramani said that around 5550 patients were getting organs in the country despite the demand being more.
Claiming that more awareness was needed about organ donation, Ramani also informed that the State of Tamil Nadu was leading the country in organ donation. “Around 648 organs were transplanted last year alone,” he said.
Dr. P. Praveen Raj, Convenor of Health Care Panel of CII Coimbatore and Bariatric Consultant at Gem Hospital said that around 13 hospitals in Coimbatore have united to promote organ donation and all the 13 corporate hospitals have been working together as a cohesive unit along with the Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu.
Delivering his address on ‘Gifting Life’, actor and orator R. Sivakumar said that people should not worry about pledging their organs for donation.
Claiming that people including Gandhi and Kamaraj have gifted their lives for the country, Sivakumar said one can also gift life by donating organs.
Commissioner and Special Officer of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation, K. Vijayakarthikeyan said that the template of organ donation should be taken to all over the country adding that more people should be involved.
He also shared that CCMC was in the process of developing a special mobile application for blood donation and added that such initiatives should be initiated for organ donation.