September 2, 2013
Derek O`Brien speaks on Human Organ donation; urging MPs to pledge their bodies to be used after death to save lives
Sir, the subject I am going to speak on will not create a sharp political divide. It seeks to evoke a sense of compassion and a call to action.
Sir, India has one of the worst records when it comes to human organ donation. Every year the pool of end-stage kidney-failure patients in India who need a transplant to stay alive swells by three lakh. An equal number suffer from failure of the liver, the heart, lungs or intestines. Worse, however, is the failure to offer these patients a simple cure: an organ transplant.
One way to spread awareness of human organ donation is to let people know that organs can be transferred from cadavers anywhere between 4 to 16 hours after death. People, all of us, need to pledge their bodies. From each body one can get as many as 34 organs or tissues… to change 34 people’s lives.
Tamil Nadu has a very good record for this and so does Andhra Pradesh. I am told actor Kamal Haasan has lead a campaign to spread the word. West Bengal too has a remarkable record : 10 lakh people in Bengal , including former Chief Ministers, have pledged their bodies. In this way the bodies can actually be used to save other people’s lives and give them organs.
Sir, what better way to spread awareness than to mention this on the floor of Parliament. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. My appeal, Sir, through you is to all Members of Parliament. I know all of us want to be remembered in our lifetime. Fair enough. But if we pledge our bodies for use after death, 34 of these organs and tissues can be put to use.
There are many NGOs who are running this campaign. In fact in August, there was an Organ Donation Day. I appeal to all members of Rajya Sabha as well as of Lok Sabha to pledge their bodies to save lives. This will also help in two other ways: it will reduce the illegal trade of organs and eliminate the black market.
Come, as MPs, let us do something about this.
Thank you.
