By Abhishek Vissapragada - AFTERNOON Dispatch & Courier

‘Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai’: Lord Ganpati has become a symbol for us in organ donation says Sitaram Kunte

On the occasion of Maharashtra Organ Donation Day, the municipal commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Sitaram Kunte on Friday promised to donate his organs, saying that Lord Ganpati has become a symbol for us in organ donation. He along with other guests present at the event including Dr Suhasini Nagda, director (medical education) at Nair Hospital and additional commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh also pledged to donate their organs.

Explaining the significance of this event Dr Nagda said, “We celebrate this day as we want people to be aware about the need to donate their organs for the benefit of others. Today the demand for organs is more than the supply and we have to do our best to meet this gap.

She then explained how we can go about it. “In India there are about 6,000 crore deaths every year. If the organs of all these dead people can be donated, then we can meet the demand for organs within 11 days,” Dr. Nagda said. She then highlighted the events that will be conducted this year. “This year BMC is planning 150 awareness programs across its hospitals and also efforts are being made towards a schematic approach in increasing cadaver identification and certification through MCGM Organ Transplant Organisation (MOTO),” she said. After highlighting the statistics of the number of cases in Mumbai and the donations carried out by KEM Hospital, Dr Nagda offered Kunte a certificate so that he could pledge his donation towards this noble initiative.

Signing the certificate, Kunte commented, “I am happy to announce that I will be donating my organs. I will also request my family to do the same. As we all know, Ganpati has become a symbol for us in organ donation. I hope we can achieve to reduce resistance towards this initiative due to certain cultural and religious beliefs and would encourage others to join this initiative.” Deshmukh also pledged to donate his organs along with other guests.

When asked about police permission for organ donation which often gets inordinately delayed, Dr Nagda said, “We have sent a letter to the police commissioner and other police stations in Mumbai to help teach organ donation laws in the curriculum of the Police Academy. We will also be conducting awareness programs for the police personnel to create awareness among them too.”

When asked if the patients receiving the donor organ have to pay any money for the transplant operations or for the organ, Dr Nagda explained, “No the patient will receive it free of cost. Since the organ donor also gives it without any compensation, no cost will be charged for getting the organ. On the Zonal Transplant Co-ordination Centre (ZTCC) website, we match demand and supply of organs needed and provide it to the needy.” The event concluded to a round of applause with Dr Nagda along with Kunte and the guests singing 'Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai' song.

Maharashtra Organ Donation Day is celebrated on March 27 every year. The purpose for this event is to increase the number of organs donated each year and to also build awareness as to which patients can donate some vital parts of their body while they are alive, after death or when they are brain dead. Aamir Khan had also pledged to donate his organs on this day.