Panel to study organ donation: Ramdas

BANGALORE: Minister for Medical Education S A Ramdas on Thursday announced that he would form a three-member committee and ask it to submit a report within 10 days regarding changes in relevant rules to facilitate organ donation.An organ bank would be set up and funds would be finalised in the upcoming budget, the minister said, and added that a publicity campaign would begin in this regard on April 1.Ramdas was speaking at the Nephro-Urology Centre of Victoria Hospital here on the occasion of World Kidney Day. “After the kidney scam in 1994, rules were made stringent, but they are creating problems for genuine donations as well,” said Ramdas.He said small issues like the requirement of a police verification before permission to procure organs caused inordinate delay resulting in the organs becoming unusable.Ramdas also promised to take up with the Union government the new policy for organ donors by this month end. “The number of patients is increasing steadily, but we have failed in preventive measures,” Ramdas said, adding that curative measures must not be ignored.He also added that the financial support provided by the state for immuno-suppressant drugs for kidney transplant patients would be extended from the present one year to two years. Patients who underwent transplants would get an aid of Rs 1 lakh for operations and and additional Rs 1 lakh to cover the cost of the medicines, he added.Secretary of Zonal Co-ordination Committee of Karnataka for Transplantation D Ramesh said at present 1.8 lakh patients suffered from kidney diseases with only 400 transplants being done. The committee currently had 670 people registered for kidney and 60  for liver  transplants.