Organ transplantation: present scenario and future strategies for transplant programme (specially cadaveric) in India: socio-administrative respects.

Organ transplantation was enacted by a law "Transplantation of Human Organ Act" in 1994 but still, getting the consent from the relatives of brain dead person is a very difficult task and hence cadaveric transplant accounts for a minimum number. In India, most of the transplantations carried out are related to living donor and very few are cadaveric. The poor status of cadaver transplantation may be attributed to the moral, emotional and religious beliefs and taboos that inhibit the relatives of the deceased to come forward to donate organ(s) of a brain dead person.Non-existence of a trained transplant co-ordinator who is the backbone of any successful transplant programme is another reason for poor response in cadaver transplantation. The great task is to motivate and prepare the relatives for organ donation of their near and dear ones. Transplant co-ordinators are being prepared for motivating individuals or relatives for donation. To promote human organ transplantation government's initiative is very important. Mass media supported by the government can develop better awareness among the people. Non-government organisations (NGOs) can help in the similar ways. All hospitals are not authorised for the procedure of human organ transplantation. Other hospitals can help the process by informing the authorised hospitals about recent admission of potential donor (brainstem death). Role of transplant coordinator is crucial. He/she is the real inspiration to make agree the relatives for organ donation. Overall success of transplant programme is based on co-ordinated activity. Involvement of all agencies to motivate the person to pledge for organ donation during his/her life time is the first and the foremost requirement for successful planning and programme of organ transplantation.