By Dr. M. Nara Singh
Impressive stories of lives saved through organ donations are well known. So also stories of restored vision due to eye donations. Most people however, are still unfamiliar with tissue donation and its benefits although, worldwide the number of tissue transplants far exceeds organ transplants. Tissue such as bone, cartilage tendons, heart valves, blood vessels etc. can be banked and transplanted with considerable clinical successes.
The first kidney transplant took place between two brothers in Boston, USA in the year 1954. It is reported that the first human liver transplant also took place in USA in 1963. Pancreas Transplantation was first reported in the late 1960s. At present, it is available as a standard form of therapy in many developed countries, but not yet available in India. Heart Transplantation has dramatically changed since Dr. Christian Barnard performed the world`s first heart transplant on 3rd December 1967 in Cape Town, South Africa. The medical advances during 1980s have made heart transplantation an effective therapy for carefully selected patients with advanced heart disease. In India Dr. Venugopal of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi transplanted Cadaver Heart in 1994 after the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) was enacted by the Union Government in the year 1994 itself.
Ganadarpan, a voluntary organisation which started the movement on Donation of Posthumous Body/organs and Tissues to Medical Science for Education, Research and for Therapeutic uses (Transplantations) in the mid eighties of the last century. This bridges the movements of Science and Technology with Scientific Temperament. This organisation played a great role in preparing and passing through the Transplantation of Human Organ Bill in the Indian Parliament in the year 1994. The same Act was endorsed by the West Bengal Government in 1995. This Act, on the one hand banned the illegal trafficking of organs and tissues and on the other hand, it accepted a new concept of death, the Brain Stem Death. The world of treatment got a host of life saving materials i.e,. organs and tissues retrieved from a donated body that has undergone brain-stem death to give a new lease of life to moribond patients.
The medical science is passing through a very dynamic phase and has dramatically advanced. Community participation in each advancement is essential so that the fruit of the achievement reaches to the needy. Ganadarpan is doing a pioneering work in respect of body donation and organ transplantation movement not only in Bengal but also in the whole of India.
Death is mistified in all Societies, many superstitions are in vogue regarding the states after death. As a result the death bodies are destroyed in many ways, with an idea that the corpse is harmful for the society. But to-day Science has proved that even the dead bodies can cater social needs, if they are used in proper way and at proper times. The transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994 defines “disceased person” means a person in whom permanent disappearance of all evidence of life occurs by reason of Brain Stem Death at any time after life birth has taken place. Brain Stem Death means the stage at which all functions of the brain stem have perminently and irreversibly ceased. These legal provisions are in tune with the World Health Organisation`s guidelines.
After Brain Stem Death, many organs and part of the body can give new lease of life to the persons who are suffering from ailments of those parts. Even after cellular death, organs like cornea, heart valves, skin, earbones can be effectively transplanted. All posthumous donation of body, tissue or organ in the Scientific Path followed by evolved societies. This requires everyone`s involvement and with conviction. Hence, this article is presented during the 8th International and 3rd National Organ and Tissue Donation Days Observance from 14th Oct. to 28th Nov., 2012.