Docs take to stage to spread awareness on organ donation

A play on how organ transplantation saves lives will be the main attraction at the foundation day celebration of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine in the city on Sunday.

The programme will be held to promote awareness about organ donation. "Most of those who will take part in the play are doctors and nurses associated with organ transplantation in some way," said Dr Mehul Solanki, co-ordinator for the play.

Dr Jigar Mehta, a critical care specialist said that there is a need to spread awareness about organ donation as Gujarat lags behind other states as far as organ donation is concerned. He said that apart from lack of government intervention, a number of factors including religious objections and fear was responsible for people being reluctant to donate organs.

"But the most important factor includes doctors being reluctant to declare a patient brain-dead," said Dr Mehta.

Dr Hitesh Chavda, a liver transplant specialist said that organ donation will not take off until the government intervenes. "Look at what happened to the 108 emergency service (108 is an ambulance service provided to people in the state free of cost) once the government got involved in the initiative. People began to trust 108 service. A lot of trust issues will be resolved in organ transplantation if the government gets involved," said Dr Chavda.