Indian advocate urges equitable access to organ transplants at UNHRC
Synopsis
Gobind Gurbani of Sindhi Adhikar Manch Association urged UN Member States to ensure equitable access to organ transplantation, highlighting challenges like organ shortages and financial barriers at the 63rd UNHRC session in Geneva.
Gobind Gurbani, President of the Sindhi Adhikar Manch Association, India, addressed the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC 63) in Geneva, highlighting the right to health and the urgent need for equitable access to life-saving medical treatment, including organ and tissue transplantation.
Urgent Challenges in Organ Transplantation
In his oral statement, Gurbani highlighted the challenges faced by millions of people suffering from organ failure who continue to lose their lives while waiting for suitable organs. He also pointed to inadequate healthcare infrastructure, financial barriers and geographical inequalities that prevent many patients from even reaching transplant waiting lists.
Promoting Cadaveric Donation as a Solution
Gurbani stressed the importance of cadaveric organ donation, describing it as an expression of compassion, solidarity and respect for human dignity. He noted that a single deceased donor can potentially save multiple lives through organ transplantation, while corneal donation can also help restore sight.
Recommendations for Governments and Institutions
He called on UN Member States to strengthen deceased-organ-donation programmes, improve hospital infrastructure and transplant coordination, and establish transparent and non-discriminatory systems for organ allocation based on medical need and fairness.
Gurbani also urged governments to increase public awareness about organ donation and address misconceptions surrounding brain death. He emphasised the need for greater cooperation among governments, civil society organisations, healthcare professionals and transplant institutions to improve access to transplantation.
International Cooperation and Ethical Standards
At the international level, he called for stronger cooperation to combat organ trafficking and transplant tourism, while stressing that transplantation must remain grounded in ethical principles and human rights.
A Human Rights Imperative
Gurbani concluded his intervention with a strong human-rights message, stating, “The right to health cannot be fully realised when people lose their lives simply because a transplantable organ is unavailable.” He called for ethical organ donation and equitable access to transplantation to become an integral part of human rights and public health policies worldwide.
Gurbani is a civil society representative and human-rights advocate who serves as President of the Sindhi Adhikar Manch Association, India, and participates in international human-rights discussions concerning social justice, equality, health and human dignity. His participation at the Human Rights Council is also reflected in UN records, which list him as a speaker representing Sindhi Adhikar Manch during HRC proceedings. His earlier intervention at the 61st Human Rights Council session also focused on cadaveric organ donation and the need to strengthen systems and awareness around organ transplantation. (ANI)