Pune Tops In Organ Donation 

Pune 10th March 2022: Unlike many other Indian cities where organ donation is still to pick up pace, Pune is fast emerging as one of the leading organ donation cities in Maharashtra. State government initiatives, coupled with increased awareness among people, have helped the state rank third in this life-saving exercise.

According to Rotto Sotto Maharashtra data, a total number of 113 organs were retrieved in Pune in 2021 while the number of transplanted organs for the same year stood at 100 which include 41 livers, 49 kidneys, 2 heart, and 2 small bowels.

The total number of organs retrieved in Nagpur in 2021 is 51, Aurangabad 3 and Mumbai 94.

Much of the credit goes to dedicated volunteers who counsel the family of the patient and coordinate with different stakeholders and ensure smooth formalities. Their dedication and tireless pursuit have given new lease of life to many patients, said Dr. Shailesh Kakde, renowned Nephrologist, Jupiter Hospital, Pune.

Nationwide, Tamil Nadu is tops in organ donations followed by Maharashtra while Gujarat and Karnataka rank in the third position. The positions, off-course, vary from time to time depending on the number of donors and the organs donated.

But despite the inspiring trend, there’s a massive gap between the number of donors and the patients eagerly waiting for a transplant. Around 1600 patients are on the recipient waiting list for a kidney transplant in Pune, said Dr. Kakde

Government data reveals that around 1.8 lakh persons suffer from renal failure every year, but the number of transplants done is only around 6000. An estimated 2 lakh patients die of liver failure annually but only about 1,500 transplants are being performed. About 50,000 persons suffer from heart failures annually but only about 10 to 15 heart transplants are performed every year.

According to Dr. Kakde despite, all the initiatives, the awareness among the people is still low and a large population is still averse to the idea of donating organs. Misbelief still exists about cadaver organ donation.

More organ donation initiatives in Pune will help to raise awareness and help save more lives of the people, opines Dr. Kakde