Overview of Organ Transplant Tourism

GS-2 Mains ( Health)

Short Notes or Revision Notes 

Question : Examine the phenomenon of organ transplant tourism in India, highlighting the surge in foreign nationals receiving organs through private hospitals and the allegations of irregularities in organ allocation.

Background

• Organ transplantation is a surgery where an organ is transplanted from one person (donor) to another (recipient).
• There’s a significant rise in foreign nationals receiving organs through private Indian hospitals.
• A 2018 report alleged irregularities in allocating organs to foreigners, bypassing Indian patients on waiting lists.

National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)

• Established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Functions include maintaining a national registry of organ donation and transplantation activities.

Benefits of Organ Donation

• Saves lives of those with organ failure.
• Addresses organ shortage.
• Promotes human solidarity and raises awareness.

Issues in Organ Donation in India

• High demand-supply gap (shortage of organs).
• Poor infrastructure, especially in public hospitals.
• Lack of awareness about brain stem death.
• Low deceased donor rates due to lack of awareness and negative attitudes.
• Unorganized systems for organ procurement from deceased donors.
• Organ trafficking.
• High cost for uninsured and poor patients.

Laws and Rules

• The Transplantation of Human Organs Act (1994) regulates organ donation and transplantation to prevent commercial dealings.
• The Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act (2011) allows organ swapping and expands the donor pool.
• The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules (2014) aims to remove barriers to organ donation while preventing misuse.

Suggestions for Improvement

• Generate a unique NOTTO-ID for both donors and recipients in all transplant cases.
• Regularly inspect transplant hospitals to monitor activities, quality, and outcomes.
• Ensure regular data collection and sharing of all transplant cases, including those involving foreigners.

Facts about Organ Donation

• World Organ Donation Day is August 13th.
• Indian Organ Donation Day is now August 3rd (previously November 27th) to commemorate India’s first successful deceased heart transplant (August 3rd, 1994).
• July is National Organ Donation Month in India.