World Organ Donation Day | 14 Aug 2024

Source: IE

Recently, World Organ Donation Day was observed on 13th August 2024 to raise awareness about the critical need for organ donors and promote donor registration.

• Theme for 2024: “Be the Reason for Someone’s Smile Today!” 
• History of Organ Transplantation: The first successful kidney transplant was performed in 1954 in the United States.
  • In India, the first successful deceased donor heart transplant took place on 3rd August 1994.
• Significance of Organ Donation: The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) reports that approximately 1,03,993 people need life-saving organ transplants, but the number of available donors is significantly inadequate, creating a severe supply-demand gap.
  • As per UNOS, every donor can save 8 lives and enhance over 75 more.
  • UNOS is a private, non-profit organization that manages the nation's organ transplant system under contract with the central government.
• Initially, India celebrated National Organ Donation Day on 27th November but it was shifted to 3rd August to commemorate the anniversary of India’s first successful deceased donor heart transplant.
  • Organ donation in India is regulated by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.

Read More: NOTTO Annual Report 2023-24