UNHRC session highlights need to boost cadaver organ donation systems

Indian rights activist Gobind Gurbani told the UNHRC that the shortage of transplantable organs is a human rights concern. He highlighted cadaver donation as an ethical solution, urging coordinated action to improve legal frameworks and awareness.

The need to strengthen awareness and systems for cadaver organ donation was highlighted during the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, where an Indian rights activist stressed that the shortage of transplantable organs remains a serious global health and human rights concern.

Gobind Gurbani, speaking through video conference, drew attention to the growing gap between the number of patients requiring organ transplants and the limited availability of donated organs. Gurbani, who heads the Sindhi Adhikar Manch Association in India and is also associated with the Eye Bank Society of Rajasthan, emphasised that the issue goes beyond medical limitations and directly affects the right to life and the right to health.

Cadaver Donation: An Ethical Solution

Referring to global health standards recognised by institutions such as the World Health Organization, he said thousands of patients die each year while waiting for life-saving transplants. According to him, cadaver organ donation--donation of organs after brain death offers an ethical and effective solution that could help bridge this gap.

Barriers and Risks

Gurbani noted that a single organ donor has the potential to save up to eight lives through transplantation. However, several barriers continue to limit the growth of cadaver donation programmes, including lack of public awareness, limited institutional infrastructure and social hesitation around posthumous organ donation. He also cautioned that persistent shortages of transplantable organs may create conditions that encourage illegal organ trafficking and exploitation, highlighting the need for stronger safeguards in the transplantation system.

A Call for Coordinated Action

Calling for coordinated action, Gurbani urged governments to improve legal and ethical frameworks governing organ donation and transplantation. He also stressed the importance of strengthening brain-death certification procedures, improving hospital-based organ retrieval systems, and launching culturally sensitive public awareness campaigns.

In his remarks, Gurbani said expanding cadaver organ donation could significantly reduce preventable deaths and transform the way societies respond to organ failure. He called for collaboration between governments, civil society groups and international organisations to ensure that patients are not denied life-saving treatment simply due to the unavailability of donor organs. (ANI)

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