Donate blood when alive; organs after death: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

 NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya led a pledge for organ donation at the GIC Ground in Agra on Saturday by asking people to donate blood when alive and organs after death.

Addressing the gathering, Mandaviya said that there can be no greater service to mankind than donating organs to save another life. He gave a clarion call to "donate blood when alive and donate organs after death", a press release issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

Underlining the need for regular medicines and check-ups after organ transplant, the Union Minister said that "the government has decided to give financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per month to all the poor people undergoing organ transplant".

"Arrangements will also be made for their regular check-ups", he further stated. He also informed me that by the end of 2024, arrangements for organ retrieval will be made in all the hospitals and medical colleges in the country.

The Union Health Minister also inaugurated a super specialty block at Sarojini Naidu Medical College, Agra, and an organ donation registry. To register to donate organs, the only requirements are the Aadhar number and the Aadhar-linked mobile number. He also laid the foundation stone for 23 integrated public health labs and 87 block public health units in Agra on the same day, as the release mentioned.

Mandaviya highlighted that the super speciality block at Sarojini Naidu Medical College (SNMC) is constructed in an area of 7,890 sq metres at a cost of Rs. 200 crore. He stated that the facility in SNMC will cater to around 3 crore people in not only Agra but also 11 districts and two surrounding states.

He also informed me that the super specialty block at SNMC will include services like neurosurgery, neurology, gastroenterology, gastro surgery, urology, nephrology, and cardiology.

Mandaviya also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has taken several landmark initiatives to increase the healthcare workforce as well as improve and expand healthcare infrastructure in the country.

Through a video message, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always given utmost importance to the health and wellbeing of citizens.

Appreciating the organ donation pledge initiative, the Chief Minister said that "donating one organ can give a new lease of life to another person".

He encouraged the gathering to take the pledge to donate their organs so that the message would reverberate across the country.

The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare SP Singh Baghel and Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Medical Education Brajesh Pathak, who joined virtually, the release said.

Minister of Higher Education Yogendra Upadhyay and Minister of Women's Welfare, Child Development, and Nutrition Baby Rani Maurya were also present at the occasion, where around 8,000 people took the pledge to donate organs.

SP Singh Baghel highlighted the importance of organ donation in saving people's lives. Regretting that only two percent of people in the country are able to get access to organ implants, he stated that he and his family members have also taken the pledge to donate their organs and urged everyone to do the same.

This was followed by a 'Seva Pakhwada' for saturation of essential health services, which will run from September 17th to October 2nd, 2023.

The 'Ayushman Bhav' campaign, which was inaugurated by the Honourable President Droupadi Murmu on September 13, 2023, and aims to redefine healthcare accessibility and inclusivity across the country, will be implemented during the 'Seva Pakhwada', embodying a whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approach.

The core objective of the Sewa Pakhwada is to extend comprehensive healthcare coverage to every village and town, transcending geographical barriers and ensuring that no one is left behind, the release said. (ANI)

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