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On 23rd April, 2015, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals today organized a press meet which witnessed presence of organ recipients who were given a new lease of life through cadaver organ donations.

The event was addressed by Dr Subash Gupta, Chief Liver Transplant Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals who felicitated the organ recipients and highlighted the significance of organ donation. Dr Gupta motivated the patients to pledge organs and spoke about ‘Gift a Life’ initiative of Apollo Hospitals.

Organ donation is quickly evolving into a major treatment protocol across all major hospitals. However, it is yet to make a significant dent in India. With each passing year, the gap between the number of organs donated and the people waiting for organ donation is getting larger.

Commenting on the current status of organ transplantation, Dr Subash Gupta, said, “The demand for organ demand outstrips the organ supply. Though we have been slowly picking up, yet despite performing 350 Liver transplants at the Centre for Liver and Biliary Sciences, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi this year there have been very few cadaveric organ donations. Apollo Hospitals ‘Gift a Life’ initiative beckons needy patients for new lease of life. Organ donation from a single brain stem dead donor can give life to seven patients.”

Dr Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant – Liver Transplant, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi said, “Cadaveric donors largely mean “”brain dead”” or “heart beating” donors. However in the west about 15% of cadaveric transplants are being performed from organs retrieved from Non-heart beating donors (donation after cardiac death) and recently the world’s first transplant of a “dead heart” has taken place in Australia. This surgical technique can significantly increase the number of potential donor organs in the near future.”

Dr Gupta stressed on creating awareness and motivation amongst masses to make organ donation programme a success. “Though the government has now taken some positive steps to make organ donation simple for patients, people’s mindset has still not changed. Enhanced awareness among people is needed. Initiatives such as Green Corridor project has helped tremendously in strengthening and empowering the organ donation programme. We should build on this initiative and take it up on priority status.”

The effective execution of cadaveric organ donation stresses on the education of masses and proactive attitude towards cadaveric organ donation. The Government needs to step in with resources to increase awareness and educate the public on importance of organ donation.

Apollo Transplant Institutes were created with the aim of providing world class transplant services across the region. Since the first successful liver transplant in India in 1998, the Apollo Transplant Program has performed 21000 kidney transplants & 5600 liver transplants in children and adults till date. Contributing to this milestone, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has performed 5000 solid organ transplants till date. The high quality – affordable cost value proposition that Apollo Hospitals offer has made them the preferred destination for patients not only from India but from more than 30 countries.