PUDUCHERRY: To raise awareness on organ donation and recognise the acts of deceased donors, the Puducherry government has framed new guidelines to honour the deceased donors during their last rites.
As per the new guidelines, the medical superintendent of the respective hospital where the donor had undergone treatment will inform the collector (Puducherry/Karaikal) or the regional administrator (Mahe/Yanam) about the organ retrieval. The officials, referred to as delegatees, will then honour the donor on behalf of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
If the delegatee is unavailable, a sub-collector, deputy collector or the senior-most revenue official on duty will be deputed to perform the honour. A wreath or a garland will be placed on the mortal remains of the donor, with arrangements made by the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Puducherry.
Additionally, the delegatee will issue a press note highlighting the donor’s contribution, along with a photograph, to recognise the family's decision to donate the organs. For deceased donors from Tamil Nadu and other states, the nodal officer of SOTTO will coordinate with the relevant authorities to ensure similar recognition in their respective regions.
Issuing the orders recently, Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan said, "The unavailability of requisite organs for transplantation to meet the existing demand has lately resulted in a major organ shortage crisis and the number of patients on the waiting list is increasing day by day."
The State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO) in Puducherry has been initiating measures to spread awareness and support the deceased donor transplant program in the Union Territory. The vital organs and even the tissues of a deceased person can be donated for transplant with the consent of the former's family.