India: The Union Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rajesh Bhushan, has stated that the nation has achieved over 15,000 transplants in the previous year with an annual increase of 27 percent in terms of organ transplants, IANS reported.
According to the reports, Union Secretary of Health, India, Bhushan speaks during the Scientific Dialogue 2023, held at the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO), “There is a spike in the resurgence in the transplant activities after the Covid-19 pandemic, and for the first time, the nation has crossed the mark of 15,000 transplants in a year 202, which increased at 27 percent.”
Furthermore, the Scientific Dialogue was organized to gather all the stakeholders and involved parties under one roof to discuss and brainstorm new innovative ideas about the interventions and best practices in the organ and tissue transplant field which can take up for saving innocent lives.
During his speech, Bhushan underlined three potential areas in the medical industry which are highly prioritized by the Ministry of Health, including the programmatic restructuring, skilling of professionals, along with communication strategy.
Moreover, “India has a growing rate of a geriatric population which needs to be ensured better quality of life for them, it is critically essential to keep updating our communication and awareness strategies so that potential organ donors come forward for donations,” Bhushan added.
He further said that along with such training programmes, widespread publicity and awareness through several mediums, such as print and electronic media, is not enough, but engaging with local stakeholders and NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) can be taken up.
In his remarks, Rajesh Bhushan further confirmed, “with having more than 640 medical hospitals and colleges, organ transplants have been a specialized service limited to only some hospitals. There is a burning need to expand the number of institutions where such big-scale surgeries and transplants can be taken up.”
“Thus, to increase the number of surgeries and transplants in India, along with training for the health care staff and professionals, our physical infrastructure and facilities must be optimally used,” said Bhushan.
The reports concluded the dialogue session hosted by the Director of NOTTO, Rajneesh Sehai, Safdarjung Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr BL Sherwal, with other senior members of the Ministry of Health along with the medical fraternity and health care professionals from the industry.