Lok Sabha Question No. 2036 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: Cases of Brain Stem Death
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri  Selvaganapathi T.M.

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2036 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02 ND AUGUST, 2024

## CASES OF BRAIN STEM DEATH

## 2036 SHRI SELVAGANAPATHI T.M.:

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the poor identification and certification of brain stem death/brain death cases is keeping the rate of organ donations at low levels in India despite their availability for many potential cases, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also true that the rate of organ donations in the country remains at less than one donor per million population in a year, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has asked the health authorities of States/Union Territories to identify each potential brain death case admitted in the Intensive Care Unit and inquire the potential donor who had pledged for organ donation; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

- (a) Poor identification and certification of brain stem death/brain death cases is one of the causes of low rate of organ donations in India. The other common causes of low organ donation rate in India include lack of awareness, non-availability of infrastructure and trained manpower.

Brain death happens commonly in cases of direct traumatic injury to the head (e.g. road accident) and brain stroke. As per the report of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways titled ' Road Accidents in India 2022 ' , road crashes in India claimed about 1.68 lakh lives during the calendar year 2022. Likewise, as per the Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Stroke, 2019 from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, studies estimate that incidence of stroke population varies from 116 to 163 per 100,000 population. If identified and certified in a timely manner, both the road accident patients as well as the stroke patients have the potential of donating organs.

(b) The rate of deceased organ donations (number of organ donors per million population) in the country has increased more than 4 times from around 0.16 in 2012 to 0.79 in 2023. However, due to simultaneous increase in population, the organ donation rate of the country continues to remain at less than one donor per million population in a year.

(c) & (d) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has sent letters to health authorities of States/Union Territories with the request to establish a system to identify each potential brain death case admitted in the Intensive Care Unit and inquire the potential donor who had pledged for organ donation. Further, States/UTs have been asked to issue advisory to all the transplant hospitals, whether public or private, to promote deceased organ donation and to establish a system for brain stem death certification, monitoring, and provision of facility for deceased organ donor maintenance, so as to achieve a minimum number of donations annually.

A copy of the letter dated 29.12.2023 from Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) issued to States/UTs is available at following weblink:

https://notto.mohfw.gov.in/WriteReadData/Portal/News/838\_1\_DO\_letter\_dated\_29.12. 2023.pdf

A letter dated 02.04.2024 by Director, National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization issued to States/UTs in this regard is available at following weblink:

https://notto.mohfw.gov.in/WriteReadData/Portal/News/844\_1\_Implementation\_of\_mon itoring\_of\_Brain\_Stem\_Death.pdf

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