K-SOTTO eyes celebrity boost for cadaver organ donation campaign
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Concerned about the lack of public engagement with the organ donation pledge campaign, the Kerala State Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organization (K-SOTTO) is now targeting celebrities and influencers to raise awareness about cadaver organ donation. And the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala has provided the ideal platform for the initiative.
K-SOTTO has set up a stall at Tagore Theatre to promote the cause and encourage both celebrities and the general public to pledge support for organ donation. This effort is part of a six-month intensive campaign aimed at revitalising the organ-donation programme in the state.
Currently, Kerala ranks 13th in the national organ pledge campaign launched by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), with just 3,500 pledges. Rajasthan leads the way with over 40,000 pledges, followed by Maharashtra (31,000) and Karnataka (25,000).
Once a leader, Kerala has witnessed a sharp decline in deceased organ donations. With 2,435 patients on the waiting list, only 10 organ donations have been recorded this year – the lowest in the last six years. This drop has plunged the government-regulated cadaver organ transplant programme into crisis. In the last 12 years, nearly 2,000 registered patients have died while waiting for suitable organs. This alarming drop has prompted concern among authorities.
Dr Noble Gracious, executive director of K-SOTTO, emphasised the importance of public awareness in reviving cadaver organ donations.
“Society needs to understand that futile care and brain stem death equate to death. With greater awareness, people will start demanding cadaver organ donation,” he said.
According to him, IFFK is an ideal venue for generating support, given the gathering of informed individuals, including film actors, writers, and other influential figures.
K-SOTTO intends to encourage celebrities to pledge their support for organ donation at the festival, urging them to share the message on their social media pages.
The organisation will also use quick comments from those pledging to help spread awareness. Additionally, posters will highlight the urgent need for organ transplants and the challenges associated with liver-donor transplants.