New Delhi: Around 2,000 personnel of the country’s two largest paramilitary forces – BSF and CRPF pledged to donate their organs in order to mark the National Organ Donation Day.
“The demand for organs is likely to increase manifold in the future keeping in view the increased incidence of lifestyle diseases. So there is a need to create a system for improving the rate of safe, effective and ethical donation of cadaver organs for transplantation in those who need them badly,” Union Health Minister J P Nadda said.
While 432 CRPF personnel made the commitment to donate organs at an event in Sonepat in presence of their chief K Durga Prasad, the BSF handed over 1,500 certificates of jawans pledging to donate their organs to Nadda at a function organised in collaboration with National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) in the national capital. Lauding the initiative of BSF, which is the country’s first line of defence, Nadda said it will help in spreading awareness about organ donation.
While CRPF is around 3 lakh strong force, BSF has 2.5 lakh men and women in its ranks.
“Donating organs is akin to gifting a new life. Organs are national resources and not even one should be wasted. I call upon all Indians to pledge to donate organs after death and save many precious lives.
“Let organ donation become a national movement and show to the world that even in death, we care for our fellow citizens and the humanity at large,” the health minister said. He said the benefits of the initiative should reach every nook and corner of the country and should not be limited to cities only.
Nadda said the government is taking steps to simplify organ donor laws. The NOTTO website provides updated information and online facility for registering pledges for organ donation.
Similarly a 24×7 call centre has been opened and the ministry launched a National Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplant Registry.
“The networking of transplant or retrieval hospitals has been started initially in Delhi and NCR while five regional level organisations called Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (ROTTO) have also been identified,” he said.
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