The Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka for transplantation (ZCCK), in association with HCG Hospital, organised a walkathon to create awareness on organ donation in the city on Sunday.
The ‘Walk For Life 2014’ started at 8 am from Freedom Park and passed through Seshadri Road, K R Circle, Cubbon Park, Kasturba Road and culminated at the Kanteerava Stadium.
The chief guest of the programme was Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao. He walked for the cause with 500 other odd participants. College students took part in the programme in a large number. Lecturers and staff from various hospitals in the city accompanied them.
“It gives me immense pleasure to see young people at the forefront. It is you, who can make the difference,” Rao told the youth during the programme.
Programme Co-ordinator Sudharshan Reddy said, “At the national-level, Karnataka occupies the fourth place in awareness about organ donation. Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are at the top of the list. This is mainly because the awareness is really high in these states and in Kerala alone, 34 donations have occurred in brain dead scenarios.”
He also elucidated India’s position in the international level. The country is ranked very low barring some Arab countries, Reddy added.
“With more and more road accidents, organ failure has become common today. In our state alone, 2,000 people are waiting for organ transplantion,” he said.
Mahesh, a businessman from Wilson Garden, said he has pledged to donate organs and would ask others to follow suit as well.
“The programme was well organised. It removed all my doubts and inhabitions regarding Organ transplant.”, he told Express.