AICTE appeals for organ donation pledge among students in HEIs

CHENNAI: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has urged the students in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to actively participate in organ donation programmes.

Mamta Rani Agarwal, Advisor, Policy and Academic Planning of AICTE, in a circular to all the vice chancellors of the universities and the principals of the colleges, claimed that that there is a huge shortage of organs available as compared to the number of patients who require organ transplants in our country resulting in a wide gap between demand and supply of organs.

The AICTE official also pointed out that a donor after brain stem death, can donate up to 18 vital organs including two Kidneys, Liver (which sometimes can be split for giving to two patients), Heart, two Lungs, Pancreas and Small intestine and many tissues like Cornea (Eye), Bone, Skin, Heart valves.

"Thus, one such donor can save up to eight to nine lives through organ donation and improve the quality of life of many others through tissue donation", the official said, adding "further, a donor after natural death can also donate tissues like Cornea, Bone, Skin and Blood vessels.

Stating that organ donation is best possible after certification of Brain stem death before the heart stops, Agarwal said the Centre has also highlighted the importance of organ donation in its "Mann Ki Baat program".

Pointing out that anyone of the age 18 years and above can pledge for organ donation by visiting NOTTO web-portal, the official urged the institutions to disseminate the information among the students, faculty members and staff.

Accordingly, a 24x7 toll-free helpline will be functional for providing any guidance related to the pledging process or for any information or organ donation