Assessing the Roadblocks to Organ Donation

Abstract

There has been a significant propulsion in the growth rate of organ failure across the globe in the recent times and major contributor for the same is rising graph of non-communicable diseases, especially diabetes and hypertension in developing countries like India. For patients with end- stage organ disease, organ transplantation is the most desired therapeutic option but according to the current estimates, there is a substantial discrepancy between the organ supply and demand ratio as organ transplantation serves only to less than 10% of the global need of organ donations. These figures thereby necessitates the action towards the promotion of organ donation at various levels. Despite massive advancements in the intricate procedure that occurs between organ donor identification and transplantation and overcoming challenges such as a lack of knowledge, financial restraints, and insufficient transplant facilities, there is still a perennial inability to meet the needs of donors across the country. Varying beliefs and cultures reflect different regulations and donation practices among different groups, posing a challenge to the standardized processes. The purpose of this article is to set out the close link between shortage of organ supply, its relation to the various factors contributing to it along with the certain suggestions in which we can counter these challenges. This article also provides a brief overview of the origin and evolution of India's Transplantation of Human Organ Act, in the hope that our experience in drafting legislation governing organ transplantation may be useful to ones who are considering or overseeing this life-saving procedure.