Tamil Nadu tops India in organ donations, wins national award

Tamil Nadu leads all Indian states in organ donations with 1,705 people donating their organs and saving 6,247 human lives.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday (August 3) said growing awareness and transparent policy were among the reasons that made the state win the best-performing state award in organ donation.

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Since 2008, 1,705 people in Tamil Nadu donated their organs facilitating 786 heart, 801 lung, 1,565 liver and 3,046 kidney transplants, 37 pancreases, besides small intestines and other organs, benefitting 6,247 recipients, he said.

Subramanian said this after receiving the award along with Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi from Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in New Delhi.

The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) award was presented at the 13th Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) ceremony meant to felicitate the donor families.

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MK Stalin

“Much of the success of organ donation is due to the high awareness levels in the state. Even our Chief Minister M K Stalin and his wife have pledged to donate their organs,” the Health Minister told the media in Chennai.

About 40 government hospitals and 120 private hospitals across Tamil Nadu have been provided organ harvest licenses. Transplants were performed even under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, he said.

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(With inputs from agencies)