New Delhi, Nov 13 (UNI) Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday felicitated fifty-one organ donor families at All India Institute of Medical Sciences here and called for a need to spread awareness of the noble act.
'The families of organ donors are braveheart as they took such a decision at a time which was so emotionally painful for them as well as their near and dear ones. My heartfelt salutations to them', the Health Minister said.
Dr Vardhan said that organ donation was a divine and godly act, something which provides a new life to an ailing person.
The minister got emotional when he came across a mother who donated the organs of her nine-year-old daughter passed away in an accident.
A total of fifty-one donor families including thirty-eight multi organ donors, five whole-body donors and eight tissue donors were felicitated in the ceremony.
It was organised by the Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation at the AIIMS where Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, Boxer Mary Kom and singer Mohit Chauhan , Director AIIMS Randeep Singh Guleria were also present.
Mary Kom said that organ donation really contributes to the society and the country.
Professor Aarti Vij of AIIMS informed that there was a round-the-clock helpline manned by trained transplant coordination staff. Her department also informs about the organ transplant to the families of those who die in the hospital.
Ms Vij said that while there was an increase in general awareness among public about organ donation, misconceptions about the same still exist that include religious myths, acceptance of brain death of patient by their relatives. Moreover, as the national capital hails large number of migrant population, the hospital, at times finds difficult to contact the relatives, who are generally outside, at the time of death.
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