Minister underlines importance of organ donation

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s minister for health and family welfare, Niranjan Pujari on Tuesday underlined the importance of organ donation saying there is a greater need to raise awareness in this regard.

The SUM Ultimate Medicare, a relatively new hospital in the capital city, had already caught the attention of the public because of its service and stress on organ donation, Pujari said while speaking at the conclusion of a four-day programme organised by SUMUM which began on Indian Organ Donation Day on August 5.

He urged the public to support organ donation as it could save lives of others. Dr. Vatsala Trivedi, eminent urologist from Mumbai and chairperson of National Deceased Donor Transplant Network, who also attended the programme.

She said the subject of brain death and organ donation should be included in the medical curriculum. Critically ill patients await death on a daily basis but organ donation could turn out to be the lifeline for such persons, Dr Trivedi added.

The programme was also addressed by Prof (Dr) Umakanta Satpathy, joint director of Medical Education and training and nodal officer for the State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO).

Dr Swetapadma Dash, chief executive officer of SUMMUM, welcomed the guests while recounting the harvesting of organs of a brain dead patient in the hospital recently which helped save four lives in other cities. The person’s wife Ms. Mrudumanjari Mohapatra, who had decided to donate the organs of her husband, was felicitated on the occasion. Brig (Dr) Biraj Mohan Mishra, chief of Medical Services, SUMUM, proposed the vote of thanks.