State retains honour for highest number of organ donations

The award was received by Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan on Friday through a virtual conference held by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation of the Union Health Ministry.

Presenting the award, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan appreciated Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami for promoting organ donation in the State. A total of 27 cadaver donations were recorded with 97 organs being transplanted in the State despite the pandemic situation this year.

So far, 1,392 organ donors have donated 8,245 organs including major and minor organs in the State. This year, donors from 75 districts across several States donated 255 organs in total throughout the country.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami thanked the frontline workers and other Health Department staff for being able to perform transplantations despite the virus threat. He said patients who require organ transplantation can claim an amount of about Rs 25 lakh under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme and this has helped increase the number of organ transplantations in the State.

The State Health Department is also conducting an awareness campaign on organ donations in private colleges in Chennai. Additionally, a marathon to promote organ donation was organised in Pudukottai and about 12,000 people participated.