Coimbatore, Aug 3 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Minister K.G. Arun Raj on Sunday said that the State continued to lead the country in deceased organ donation, accounting for nearly one-third of organ donations in India, while reiterating that the government would show no leniency towards hospitals or organisations involved in irregularities in the transplantation system.
In a post on X following the “Life After Life” organ donor appreciation ceremony in Coimbatore, Arun Raj described the inauguration of a “Wall of Honour” dedicated to organ donors as a deeply emotional experience. He said organ donors represented the highest form of humanity by giving others a chance to live even after their death.
The Minister said the ceremony also brought back memories of a similar personal loss experienced by his family, making the occasion particularly poignant for him.
The Wall of Honour was inaugurated as a tribute to donors whose organs had helped save or transform the lives of patients awaiting transplantation.
Referring to concerns surrounding the organ transplantation system, Arun Raj said procedures had been made extremely stringent following the kidney theft scandal.
The government had subsequently reviewed and streamlined the process wherever necessary to make organ donation and transplantation more efficient without compromising transparency or safeguards, he said.
He stressed that the easing of procedural hurdles should not be interpreted as a relaxation of scrutiny. Any hospital, institution or organisation found indulging in irregularities connected with organ donation or transplantation would face the strictest possible action from the government, he warned.
Arun Raj said the government remained committed to maintaining public confidence in the transplantation programme, particularly because the system depended heavily on the willingness of bereaved families to consent to organ donation.
Highlighting Tamil Nadu’s performance, the Minister said he was proud that the State accounted for nearly one-third of organ donations in the country and continued to occupy the top position nationally in deceased organ donation.
He said the contribution of donor families deserved recognition as their decisions, often taken at moments of profound grief, enabled critically ill patients to receive a new lease of life.
The “Life After Life” programme sought to honour organ donors and their families while highlighting the importance of organ donation and encouraging greater public awareness about its potential to save lives.
–IANS
aal/uk
