Jaipur, August 13, 2025.
Today ‘World Organ Donation Day’ is being celebrated worldwide. The purpose of this day is to make people aware about the importance of organ donation and explain how a person’s initiative can give new life to many.
In India, there are millions of people every year who are in dire need of organs like liver, kidney, heart or eyes, but they lose their lives due to not finding donors in time. Whereas organs from one brain dead person can save about 8 lives.
Laws like the Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation Act, 1994 have been made in India. Awareness campaigns are conducted by the government timely to remove misconceptions about this noble cause.
What is organ donation?
When any organ in our body gets damaged and stops functioning, then a healthy organ from another person is transplanted in its place. This is called organ transplant. When a person donates their body organ to someone in need, it is called organ donation.
How big is the gap between organ transplant needs and availability in India?
In India, there is a huge difference between the number of patients who need organ transplants and the number of transplants that actually take place. This can be understood from these statistics from the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (JAPI).
What is the difference between organ and tissue donation?
Organ means a large and complete part of the body, on whose proper functioning our life depends. Like heart, lungs, kidneys, liver. If these become damaged, a person’s life can be in danger and organ transplantation is needed to replace them. Tissues are small parts or layers of an organ. These are made up of many cells and help the body perform specific functions. Such as-
- Cornea: The transparent part of the eye that allows light to enter.
- Skin: The skin that covers and protects the body.
- Heart Valve: The inner part of the heart that controls blood flow.
Which organs and tissues can be donated?
Organ donation is not limited to just heart or kidney donation. When a person donates organs, several organs and tissues can be retrieved from their body that can save the lives of needy patients or improve their quality of life.
