State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) J&K, in collaboration with the Department of Ophthalmology, GMC Jammu, Friday organized an awareness camp “Angdaan Se Jeevandan” (Deceased Organ Donation programme) under the aegis of "Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav" and to mark “National Eye Donation Fortnight” here at GMC Jammu.
The team of SOTTO J&K and Ophthalmology Department created awareness among patients and visitors on organ donation including cornea, kidney, liver etc. National Eye Donation Fortnight is observed from August 25 to September 8.
Dr. Shashi Sudan Sharma, Principal GMC Jammu pledged to donate her organs and tissues and appealed to the public to come forward to donate eyes and organs (after demise) as one person can help 8 persons by donating organs. She said that there is a wide gap between patients who need transplants and the organs that are available in India. She informed that more than 1.8 lakh persons suffer from renal (kidney) failure every year and the number of renal transplants is less than 7000 per year. Around 2 lakh people die of end stage liver disease every year and hence 25-30 thousand liver transplants are needed annually in India but only around 1500 transplants are performed every year. We should help each other while we are alive and even after our death we can help someone by donating our organs/tissues because "We are born with the ability to save lives", she added.
Dr. Satish Gupta, HOD Ophthalmology, GMC Jammu said that a person of any age can donate corneas. Thousands of people lose their lives due to unavailability of organs and we can save their lives by donating our organs/tissues after death.
Meanwhile, many visitors and staff members filled the pledge forms and lauded the efforts of Govt. for this noble initiative of saving lives.