Lok Sabha Question No. 5549 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-26
Subject: Organ Donation
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: K. Shanmuga Sundaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5549 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH JULY, 2019

## ORGAN DONATION

## 5549. SHRI SHANMUGA SUNDARAM K.:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has passed Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 regulati the organ donations and transplants which includes donation of human organs pertaining t brain dead persons and if so , the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any  report  or  complaint  from  the  citizens  of regarding the sale of human organs for monetary considerations;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government is having any proposal to set up National Human Organ Donation Bank to facilitate the transplantation of human organs without involvement of any middl and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the further  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  popularize  the  scheme  to  create  awaren among the citizens especially poor people in this regard?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) : Yes.The Government of India enacted the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act  (THOTA),  1994  and  made  rules  thereunder  for  regulation  of  removal,  storage  an transplantation of human organs and tissues for therapeutic purposes.
- (b)& (c) : Few instances of human organ trade have come to the notice of the Ministry Health of Health and Family Welfare through complaints/media reports. Under t Transplantation  of  Human  Organs  and  Tissues  Act  (THOTA),  1994  there  is  a  State  lev Appropri ate Authority to investigate any complaint of breach of any of the provisions of t or any of the rules made thereunder and take appropriate action. Accordingly, these ca forwarded  to  the  concerned  State  Government  for  investigation  and  taking action  as  per  the provisions of the Act. Further, details of such cases in not maintained by the Ministry of He and Family Welfare.

(d) : There is no such proposal to set up National Human Organ Donation Bank as organs li Heart, Kidney, etc. nee d to be transplanted immediately after retrieval. However, the Natio Organ  and  Tissue  Transplant  Organisation  (NOTTO)  has  a  facility  of  National  Level  Tis Bank  (Biomaterial  Centre)  for  storing  tissues.  A  regional  biomaterial  centre  has  als esta blished  at  Regional  Organ  and  Tissue  Transplant  Organisation  (ROTTO),  Chennai, Tamilnadu.

(e) : The 'National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)', 'Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organizations (ROTTOs)' and 'State Organ and Tissue  T ransplant Organizations (SOTTOs)' disseminate relevant information about organ donation in the public. A 24x7 call centre with a toll free helpline number (1800114770) has been made operation number of activities, for generating awareness and for impa rting training to all those associated with transplant activities including doctors and transplant coordinators, such as celeb Indian  Organ  Donation  Day,  seminars,  workshops,  debates,  sports  events,  walkathon participation in marathons, nukkad N at k, etc. are organized at different places in the Count Audio- visual messages to promote cadaver organ donation are also telecast on Doordarshan other television channels.

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