Telangana Government honours 105 families which donated organs to many needy

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Thursday honoured the 105 families as true heroes who have given a new lease of life to many by coming forward to donate organs.

The government organised a felicitation ceremony to the families which had helped in organ donations on the occasion of the 13th National Organ Donation Day at Rabindra Bharati.

Health Minister T Harish Rao paid tributes to the noble families who selflessly donated organs under the banner of Jeevandan. He conveyed heartfelt congratulations to the department for its recognition by the Centre as the State with the highest number of organ donations.

Rao expressed admiration for the courage and compassion displayed by the families who, despite their own grief, chose to save lives through organ donation. He acknowledged them as a source of inspiration for many and commended their commitment to social responsibility during challenging times. ‘Their benevolent acts have granted a new lease of life to many, as their loved ones live on through the recipients of the donated organs’, he minister said.

Telangana’s leading position in organ donation of brain-dead individuals was highlighted, with 194 people having donated organs in 2022. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat followed with 156, 151, and 148 donations, respectively.

The Jeevandan programme, initiated in 2013, witnessed 1,288 brain death donations to date, resulting in collection and transplantation of 4,829 organs to those in need. Additionally, Telangana ranks first in the country for organ transplant treatments, with 530 surgeries performed out of a total of nationwide in 2022. Tamil Nadu recorded 519 surgeries, while Karnataka performed 415.

Rao emphasised the need for greater awareness and participation in organ donation, revealing that 126 organ donations have been registered so far this year. Despite the progress, approximately 3,000 individuals are actively seeking to prolong life through organ transplants, underscoring the need for continued efforts, he said. He urged everyone to recognise the irreplaceable value of human organs, as advanced medical technology has yet to replicate kidney, liver, and heart organs artificially. Donating organs after death emerges as a powerful means to bestow the gift of life upon others, underscoring the importance of fulfilling social responsibility through organ donation in cases of brain-dead family members.

He called upon people to embrace organ donation as a means to extend a lifeline to those in dire need, emphasising the boundless impact of this compassionate act.