– R. Mahalingam, Director, Airport Authority of India, Coimbatore
In today’s world, Humans are progressing at a faster pace but humanity and our moral compass is fading every day. Among all philanthropic activities, food, blood and organ donation stands as three important needs of the poor and needy.
While there are several people and NGOs at present to donate food and blood, there are very less source and donors to donate organs. While this very much needed act of kindness could be done by all of us, only a very few have understood its importance and continue to act. Some of us, despite knowing about organ donation, don’t show interest towards it. After all, what are we going to do with the organs by taking it with us? We can let the needy take our organs after our death and help them live a lease of life than let our organs turn to dust by taking it to our graves.
Organ Donors and their family members are one of those beacons of hope who shine the light that shows there is still humanity left in us and all can light the lamp of life in the Needy.
To honor the laudable and magnanimous act of donation made by donors, PSG Hospitals during the 10th Indian Organ Donation Day program honored the donor family members on the donors’ behalf and also created awareness on organ donation.
A mock drill was made by 4 men from various departments of PSG Hospitals. They received 4 dummy organs from the Coimbatore International Airport. From there till Sitra entrance a green corridor was provided.The 4 men ran and boarded the ambulance that was waiting in the entrance. They reached PSG IMS&R and PSG Hospitals’ entrance. From there they ran and reached the PSG IMSR Seminar Hall where the 10th Indian Organ Donation Day program was held.
- Mahalingam, Director, Airport Authority of India, Coimbatore took part in the program as Chief Guest. Mr.Somasundaram, Asst. Commissioner, Law & Order, Coimbatore-East was the Guest of Honor.
Addressing the gathering, the chief guest said losing a family member is a pain from which there is no easy recovery. In case if the deceased was the breadwinner of that family, the loss could be huge blow to the family members.
To convey at their time of bereavement that there is an opportunity for them to help other families who are in dire need of an organ transplant is not easy or emotionally possible; yet to help the lives that are hanging on the edge of hope, counsellors approach the family members of the deceased.
The family members of the donors understand the value their departed beloved could add to the lives of others and take decisions to donate his/her organs, and at this occasion I express my gratitude to them.
“Organ Donors are Mahatmas” he stressed. He narrated an incident which happened in the past. “I received continuous calls from an unknown mobile number. When I picked it, it was from a doctor. He said he was carrying a live-organ and conveyed he has been stranded at the entrance.”
After this incident, CG said that he has informed the airport personnel that he should not get any more calls from doctors or organ donation and transplant coordinators saying that they are finding it hard to get the organs inside the airport for. He said many hands are involved in this process – Airport Personnel, Medical Team and Counsellors, Security personnel Police and most of all; Donor’s Family members. “What we do in this organ donation process is small compared to what the donors and their family members have done”.
He also mentioned that the WhatsApp Group which has been created for enabling smooth transit (which has Airport Authorities, Transplant Coordinators and those who involve in Organ Transplant) will also facilitate the transport of organs to the needy in time.
It was learned that when an intimation is made through this group that an organ is about to be brought to the airport for taking it for transplanting it to another person in a different city, the formalities will be cleared by the people before the organ arrives at the airport so that the transit doesn’t meet any delay.
The Guest of Honor in his address said “I find that the awareness about organ donation among public is not as high as it should be”. He stated that patients waiting for organ transplant is high whereas the availability of donors is low today.
He stated that in Coimbatore Corporation approximately 40 people commit suicide and die, 30-35 people are met with accident, and most of them are trauma accidents. Their organs could be harvested and donated for the needy but the awareness about it is less.
One of the few reasons behind this could be due to the spread of negativity and doubts over organ transplant that whether it is being given to the right people or is there any scam involved in handling of the organs.
He said that through awareness programs and honoring of donor’s family members like what PSG Hospitals is doing, that negativity could be overcome and it could inspire more people. “Whenever we receive an information that a certain hospital is about to transport an organ to another hospital or to the airport, we provide Green Corridor. The attention that we give when a V.I.P like CM or PM is escorted, is the same attention that will be exhibited when an organ is transported”, added Somasundaram, Asst. Commissioner, Law & Order, Coimbatore-East.
Following this 2 donor’s family members were honored.