Tamil Nadu Receives Central Award For Organ Donation Programme For The Fourth Time In A Row

The Tamil Nadu health department has received the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s best performance award for the fourth time in a row, reports the Times of India.

The state health minister, C Vijayabaskar, received the award on behalf of the department for the successful organ donation programme at the ninth annual National Organ Day held in Delhi. So far, 6,886 organs have been harvested from 1,198 donors in the state.

Through the organ donation programme, Tamil Nadu was able to retrieve organs from more than 1,000 patients. The state brought in laws for donating organs and transplants in 2008, following organ theft cases, including from the victims of the tsunami, that rocked the state.

The Transplant Authority, Government of Tamil Nadu (Transtan), maintains a register of patients in hospitals and allots organs of brain-dead patients to deserving patients fighting for survival. Further, Transtan also performs the duty of Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) and State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO).

"Organ transplanting needs of the poor patients are taken care of by both government hospitals and private hospitals free of cost. Under the state health insurance scheme, the government sanctions up to Rs 35 lakh for transplantation, which is the highest in the country," Vijayabaskar said, while adding the state was making efforts to pass a legislation in this regard in the next assembly session.

“For over two years, the Centre has been asking us to implement the Central Act, but we have been sticking on to our rules and guidelines. That was only because we had a good system. Now, the Centre is saying they will be able to provide more funds if we implement the Central Act. So, we have promised to look into it,” he said.