SRINAGAR – On World Organ Donation Day, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Saturday urged people in Kashmir valley to come forward for organ donation and save lives.
“There is a dire need to create awareness among the people about the importance of organ donation,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan.
Dr Hassan said organ donation is one of the greatest medical gifts to humanity. It transforms death into life.
“Many lives can be saved through organ donation,” he said.
The DAK President said even though the success of living donor transplantation has saved many lives, cadaveric (deceased) organ donation has changed this scenario as each donor will give a new lease of life to 8 patients.
“Despite legal and religious support for organ donation, people in the valley are not responding, as a result of which precious lives are lost,” he said.
World organ donation day is observed every year on August 13 to sensitize people about the noble cause of organ donation so that more people volunteer for the same.
“Organ donation is the process when a person allows his/her organ to be removed and transplanted to another person, while the donor is alive or dead with the assent of the next of kin,” said Dr Nisar.
“Some organs and tissues can be donated by living donor such as a kidney or part of the liver, but most donations occur after the donor has died,” he said
“Common transplants include kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas, intestines, skin and cornea,” he added.
General Secretary DAK Dr Arshad Ali said Kashmir has only one transplant unit at SKIMS which is involved in live related kidney transplantation. Cadaveric transplantation is not being done as there are no donors.
“There are no other organ transplantation facilities in the valley,” he said.
