To create awareness among the public about the importance of organ donation, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India is observing India Organ Donation Day on 3 rd August 2023. One organ donor can save up to eight lives. A huge gap exists between patients who require organ transplants and the organ donors that are available.
In this context, Govt. of India has established National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), an apex organization and similar organizations at regional and state level to provide an efficient and organized system of organ procurement and distribution in the country and to maintain a national registry of donors and recipients of organs and tissues.
NOTTO celebrates the ‘Indian Organ Donation Day’ (IODD) every year to spread awareness about organ donation, dispel the myths and misconceptions associated with organ donation and motivate and encourage the citizens of the country to donate organs and tissue after death, as well as to imbibe the value of organ donation in their lives.
This year, it has been decided to run an awareness campaign by the name of ‘Angdaan Mahotsav’ in line with the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence of India. As part of the campaign, 3 rd August 2023 will be celebrated as the ‘Indian Organ Donation Day’ to commemorate the first deceased donor organ transplant, which was also the first Heart transplant done in the country, after promulgation of ‘Transplantation of Human Organs Act’ on 8th July, 1994.
The specific objectives of this year’s campaign are:
- To reduce the demand for organ transplantation by promoting healthy lifestyles &
- To spread awareness about brain stem death, deceased organ donation & control of illegal practices related to organ transplantation.
- To bust myths and misconceptions related to organ donation & transplantation.
- To increase identification and declaration of cases of brain stem death by the hospitals
In view of above, CBSE affiliated schools are organizing following activities:
- Encourage registration of Pledges for organ and tissue donation at MyGov portal https://pledge.mygov.in/organ-donation/
- Spread awareness among the students and students regarding organ donation
- Activities about organ and tissue donation namely poster, slogan and quiz competition etc.
