“Give yourself and those in need an elixir of life by pledging your organs.”
― Mohith Agadi
Today, lakhs of individuals are waiting for an organ to live a healthy and more productive life. It is truly a matter of life and death for people with end-stage organ failures.
Organ donation provides a life-giving and a life-enhancing opportunity to those who are at the end of the tunnel for hope. And the need for organ donors is growing rapidly. The need is immense and we have the power to do something about it, by becoming an organ donor. Our single selfless act to register as an organ donor gives us the opportunity to save up to eight lives.
Benefits of Organ Donation by Living Donor:
Gifting a ray of hope: Gifting an organ saves a needy life. The positive aspect of organ donation is gifting a ray of hope in a person’s life.
Does the donor is affected by living donation?
Life expectancy is not hampered by living donation and post-surgical recovery most of the donors live active, healthy, and happy lives. The recovery time for a kidney donor is normally short, and they can resume their normal lives within six weeks. In the case of liver donors, they need two months to resume their normal lives. In the case of kidney donors, the remaining kidney can enlarge slightly to do the work it has to without the other one. Whereas, the liver can regenerate and can regain its full function.
Organ Transplantation in India
Transplant tourism (TT) indicates travel outside of one’s country of residence for the sole purpose of obtaining organ transplantation facilitation. Currently, TT has been surrounded by controversy in regards to the source of organs, donor's care, and recipient outcome post-transplantation.
Despite the controversies, many patients continue to travel to other countries to receive commercial transplants.
However, the laws in India for organ transplant are very strict. The law of the land does not allow any buying or selling of the organ. Any commercial transaction for organ transplant is strictly prohibited by the law. ONLY A close family member can donate an organ to the patient out of love and compassion. If you are travelling to India for organ transplant, you would need to prove your relationship with the patient and then only you would be allowed to undergo the organ transplant.
Indian medical standards match the high international standards even at low costs. While speaking at the 4th BW Businessworld Healthcare Summit & Awards, Dr. Neerav Goyal, the head of the Apollo Liver Transplant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said that “India is currently a leading market in the world in terms of organ transplantation.” At the same summit, Swadeep Srivastava, moderator of the panel and the Managing Partner at India Virtual Hospital said that “India has consistently remained a global platform for patients coming from around the globe because they get treatment at 1/10th of the cost in comparison to what they get in their domestic countries. Moreover, the quality and quantity of hospitals in India have enabled to make this industry bloom.” He also added that the strong grip of the country in organ transplantation has helped India to attract patients across the world.
Most commonly performed organ transplantations in India include:
- Kidney transplant
- Liver transplant
- Bone marrow transplant
- Gall bladder transplant
- Pancreas transplant
- Heart Transplant
- Intestine Transplant
Few of the best hospitals in India have the facilities which are available in the world’s best organ transplant hospitals. Indian hospitals have world-renowned and experienced surgeons with the most advanced technology and to achieve a successful transplantation rate.
In India, success rates of organ transplantation are at par with the international success rates. The cost of organ transplant in India is just a fraction of what it costs in Western countries. The cost of kidney transplant in the US costs around $200,000 whereas in India the cost is around $ 12,000.
Life after Organ Transplantation
The clinical outcome of most organ transplants is largely determined by the ability to control the rejection of the transplanted organ. Consistent improvements to these anti-rejection drugs and how they can be used have led to dramatically higher survival rates and better quality of life post-transplantation.
What are the positive effects on the recipient?
- Quality of life: Organ Transplantation can improve a recipient’s quality of life greatly which allows them to resume their normal activities. Patients get more time to spend with their friends and family, pursue their hobbies/interests, and are more physically active.
- Increase in life span: Transplants increase the life span of a patient, in turn, improving the quality of life. For example, a kidney transplant increases the life span of a patient by about 10 years.
- Organs function almost immediately: A liver or kidney transplanted from a living donor generally functions quite immediately. But, in a few cases, some kidneys do not work immediately if received from deceased donors, and thus, the patient requires dialysis for the kidney to function properly.
- Better results: Candidates generally experience much better results when they receive organs from living donors as compared to deceased donors. Nevertheless, organ transplant patients have to demonstrate coping skills all by themselves. Many transplant patients, in the best cases, learn to adapt to the new condition by re-evaluating their life goals and majorly by focusing on more positive consequences like personal growth.