Breaking Barriers: Prioritizing Women in India's Organ Transplant Lists

The Union Health Ministry has issued a crucial advisory emphasizing the need for prioritizing women on organ transplant waiting lists in India as a measure to combat gender disparity in healthcare. This recommendation comes amidst broader efforts to increase organ donation rates nationwide.

The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), under the Health Ministry, has also advocated for additional points in allocation criteria for women and priority for relatives of deceased donors. These steps are part of a comprehensive advisory issued during the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day. The document calls for honoring deceased donors and their families at state functions.

The advisory urges the establishment of organ retrieval facilities and emphasizes training emergency responders to identify potential donors, particularly in trauma cases. Supporting the creation of a national registry, the ministry stresses the role of transplant coordinators and the need for greater public awareness to overcome misconceptions about organ donation.

(With inputs from agencies.)