Organ donations by older woman gave new life to 3

An 82-year-old Gyan Kaur has become one of the oldest organ donors in the country as her family consented to donate her liver and corneas after her death. She died on Tuesday.

“Her liver gave second life to the father of a serving officer, who was suffering from terminal liver failure, and both her corneas gave eyesight to two needy patients,” said doctors at the Army Hospital (Research & Referral).

She was the widow of late Tarlok Singh, a retired honorary lieutenant of the Indian Army.

This was the third multiple organ donation at the Army Hospital (R&R) this year and the 18th since the inception of the organ donation program in the Armed Forces in April 2007.

With over 3,000 armed forces personnel having already pledged their organs for donation in the event of brain death, the awareness on organ donation in the armed forces has been exemplary.

This is a result of the relentless awareness campaign launched by the Armed Forces Organ Retrieval and Transplantation Authority (AORTA) to promote organ donation within the armed forces.

Organ sales are banned in India and human organ transplant laws are very strict. Any violations incur a very high penalty.

According to the Indian Law, close relatives of recipient like parents, children, brothers, sisters, and spouse can donate the organ without government clearance. But all other relatives who wish to donate the organ need to appear before the authorization committee for clearance and only after its approval and clearance can get the organ transplanted.

As per the Act, the unrelated donor has to file an affidavit in the court of a magistrate stating that the organ is being donated out of affection. Following which the donor has to undergo number of tests before the actual transplant takes place. The Authorization Committee set up for the purpose ensures the authenticity of documents required under the Act.

Kidney, Liver, heart, lung, pancreas, small bowel and sometimes skin etc. are some of the organs that can be donated for an organ transplant.